Rage Against the Dying of the Light
by Jocasta Silver
Summary: What if Shepard was raised by Wrex? Vanguard Paragon Shepard. Eventual Shakarian.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It's once his ship set off through the relay that Wrex heard a rather peculiar noise coming from the cargo hold. He'd finished a job delivering some kind of cargo between gangs, and apart from some action from the Blue Suns, it was quiet. Wrex hated quiet; like all krogan, he craved action and the thrill of demolishing his opponents in a fight, even if he'd tempered that urge with some common sense.

The ship was a small one with a cockpit, bathroom, and two bedrooms (one for himself, and one for guests he either was handing over to someone powerful or being paid to watch over). There it was again, the faint scratching noise that his sensitive hearing detected. Grabbing a pistol, he darted into the cargo hold and came face to face with a scrawny human with red hair, who couldn't have been more than twelve years old. She screamed, and Wrex barely managed to dodge a flair of blue biotics.

He dropped the pistol. "Hey kid, it's ok. I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're not?" the girl sounded tired, as if the whole universe was against her.

"Of course not. Is there any family?" He doubted that there was, but he needed to check anyways.

The girl shook her head vehemently. She might be underweight, but there was something of a survivor to her stance.

"What's your name?" he asked, since it's seemed rude to continue to refer to her "girl" or "kid".

"Cassia Shepard," she replied.

"Interesting, that sounds kind of like a turian name. My name's Wrex. Urdnot Wrex." It's ironic, and while there's a small portion of him that protested that he would make a lousy parent, but another part of him wanted to take a shot at what the genophage denied him. "I've got a bunk for you and I guess we'd better head back to the Citadel and fill out some paperwork."

"You mean you'll let me stay?" There's a hint of hope in Cassia's eyes.

"Of course I'll let you stay." That prompted what humans referred to as a smile. It's slow to form, but it's there.

…

Initially, Cassia struggled to fall asleep. She tossed and turned, even though the bed and blankets were soft and comfortable. She knew most people would think that falling asleep in krogan's place was suicide, but then again Wrex isn't what she expected of a krogan. Sure, he is a fierce fighter, shown by the confident way he held his pistol, and the scars that lace his body. However, he is kind to her, and helped put fresh sheets on the bed, she now lay on.

"If you need anything I'll be right down the hall," he said.

While a small part of her is tempted to wake Wrex, the habit of fending for herself and not trusting adults, is difficult to shake. She doesn't remember her mother, and her father was a mean person who hit her a lot until Social Services put him in jail for smuggling red sand, and placed her in foster care. Foster care wasn't much better with her either being ignored at best, or abused at worst. When she'd finally run away she thought she was home safe. But no, she had to get caught up in a bloody gang war. Maybe things would be different this time. As long she behaved and the authorities decided to let her stay with Wrex.

 _"No one's ever wanted you why should Wrex be any different?"_

 _"Shut up!"_

In spite of her pessimistic conscious, Cassia hoped that things truly would be different this time.

…

It took Wrex two days to direct his rickety ship to Citadel, two days in which he alternated between trying to scrap together something nutritionally beneficial for a human and awkwardly comforting said human. Plus, he'd caught Cassia poking around his ryncol stash.

"That stuff will cause permanent damage to your liver, and that's if you're lucky."

"But you drink it," she pointed out impertinently.

"Well, I have multiple organs in case my primary ones fail, you don't."

After that, the kid finally back down. When they arrived at the Citadel, Cassia gasped. "Wow! What is that ship over there?"

"That's the _Destiny Ascension_ ," Wrex explained. "It's an asari built ship and the Council flagship."

"Do krogan have big ships like that?" Cassia asked.

He knew the kid didn't mean anything, but the question brings back dark memories he'd rather not think about. "No, we don't."

Maybe there's something in his vocal inflections, but Cassia doesn't ask any further questions. It takes half an hour to get clearance to land, and another half hour to go through customs. The customs agent, a turian, seemed to enjoy giving Wrex a hard time. Finally, they are cleared to enter the Citadel. The Promenade with its wide avenues and open space had Cassia smiling.

"It's all so big!" Her expression is one of childish wonder that is universal to all species' young, even little krogans.

…

"Absolutely not!" the sour faced woman said. "We are not letting some krogan brute adopt a human.

"Battlemaster, I'm a battlemaster," Wrex countered. "Besides, Cassia is a biotic and she needs training."

"Are you implying that we are incapable of training biotics sir?"

"If you mean based in the failure of your biotic training facility than yes, I am."

Just then another human, a man, approached. "Why don't we ask the kid what she wants."

Then all three of them looked at her, which was rather disconcerting. "I want to stay with Wrex," she said. "And my name's Cassia Shepard, not 'kid'."

The woman gasped at her audacity, but the man simply said, "Anita," and pulled her aside. After a whispered conversation they both came back.

"Fine you can adopt her," she said. "For all the good it will do the kid."

So Wrex spent the afternoon filling out paperwork, while Cassia sat and stared out the window. She did answer one or two questions, but her new father did most of the work. When it was finally done, Wrex treated her out to dinner at a diner restaurant, and if anyone found it odd to see a krogan and a human child together, they kept their opinions to themselves. Although, Cassia liked her turkey, bacon and avocado sandwich, she found her mind wandering to what her life would be like now.

"So, the first thing we need to do is get you tested and fitted for a biotic implant," Wrex explained. "Getting it installed, isn't fun, but then we can start working on getting your abilities in control."

"You'll be there when they do the procedure, right?" she asked warily.

"Of course." After that, Wrex spent most of the time explaining that he planned to have her enroll in an online school, since "our home's a ship." Cassia just smiled and nodded. Hopefully, she wouldn't be too far behind her peers.

…

The first thing Wrex did was submit Cassia's application to an online school for spacer kids. The acceptance letter came several days later. Cassia would start in two months, which would be plenty of time for her to undergo the surgery to put in her implant. True to his word, Wrex was present for the surgery, once the medical personnel realized that he wouldn't get in the way. Although, Cassia was clearly apprehensive, she only winced a couple of times, and never screamed.

Then a week after the surgery, came the challenge of tutoring her abilities. After the first few tries, she slumped. "I've never going to be able to do this."

Wrex resisted the urge to yell. It hadn't worked for him when he was a youngling trying to become a battlemaster, and it wouldn't work for the kid either. "Just take a deep breath and focus."

Cassia closed her eyes and reached out. Blue energy coursed from her fingertips, and the tiny red bouncy ball she attempted to lift was thrown to the other side of the cargo hold and caused a small dent from its impact. "Oops. Sorry, Dad."

Wrex laughed. "It's ok, Cassia. I caused far worse when I was training to be a battlemaster."

"Really?" Cassia inquired eagerly.

So Wrex regaled her with one of his old stories about his early days, and Cassia laughed. They also consequently ate dinner at a later time, but Wrex didn't mind.

…

When Cassia heard another mention about the Genophage in class, it took her several weeks to work up the courage to ask her adoptive father about it. He'd just completed a job that took them into the Terminus systems, and he seemed happy.

Dad almost looked sad when she mentioned it. When he was finished explaining it, she asked, "how are you going to fix it?"

"That's not something you can fix. Krogan, in general, are too focused on fighting to change anything. Plus, we have no scientists."

"If anyone can fix this, you can," Cassia insisted. She can tell from the stance of his body, that he doesn't believe her.

…

It took all his self-control not to hit the first boyfriend Cassia brought home: a scrawny tan human with black hair and brown eyes.

"Just play nice," she pleaded with him. "He's already nervous enough when I told him that you're a krogan."

So the trio had an awkward dinner where both Wrex and the boy only talked through Cassia. He was almost relieved when she broke up with the guy two months later. However, he was able to support his kid through her ice cream buying surge, and sat through several stupid movies.

…

When Cassia printed out and read an Alliance recruitment add, she was torn. On one hand, she wanted to help defend people. Plus, they provided incentives for biotics like her, especially those with prior training. On the other hand, she knew her dad wasn't too enthusiastic about the Alliance and she didn't want to disappoint him. So Cassia put it off, and tried to focus on their upcoming vacation to Elysium, and her high school graduation. She managed to put it out of her mind for most of their vacation, until Dad got a call, and said he needed to take care of something, leaving her to hang around in an area with cute shops.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" A young asari maiden stood nervously next to the bench.

"No, go ahead and sit," Cassia invited.

She sat, but she eyed her warily until she noted the flyer. "Is that a recruitment poster? Are you planning on joining your species' military?"

Cassia shrugged. "I don't know. A part of me wants to, but I don't want to disappoint my father and he isn't a big fan of the Alliance."

"Maybe you should think about what might happen if you don't enlist," the asari suggested. "You might spend the rest of your life wondering 'what if'. My mother and I aren't on talking terms, but I wouldn't trade my archeology expeditions for the whole galaxy."

Just then, Wrex arrived with some Japanese takeout, and the asari quickly left. Cassia wanted to confide in her father. However, she still worried that she would only end up disappointing him.

…

Wrex didn't know what to say when Cassia finally confided her plans to join the Alliance military. On one hand, he worried about the danger his precious daughter faced. On the other hand, it was a better job than becoming a mercenary like him, who straddled the line between lawful and illegal. So he smiled and congratulated her.

When she shipped out for boot camp, he gave her one last piece of advice. "Don't forget your biotics are part of you, whatever those lily-livered pyjaks say."

"Thanks, Dad!" Cassia smiled then and hugged him, something she rarely did, since she knew that krogan were not the hugging type.

"Now go make your father proud!" he yelled loud enough that several of the other passengers eyed him warily. He watched her walked onto the ship and stayed there until the ship glided away into the distance.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to get Chapter Two out, I was having computer problems. Anyways, on with the show!

Disclaimer: I don't own _Mass Effect_. This is owned by Bioware.

Chapter Two

Cassia groaned as she sat down on her bunk, distressing her sore muscles. While, she did not regret enlisting in the Alliance military, boot camp did take a lot of her energy. There were also some cadets who were wary of having a biotic among them, but she learned to ignore them.

"So what's up Cassie?" chirped her bunkmate Tammy as she plopped down onto Cassia's bunk. While Tammy was at times obnoxiously cheerful and insisted on referring to her as Cassie, she at least wasn't the least bit afraid of Cassia's biotics.

"Nothing much," she replied. "I'm just wondering how you can be so happy after PT."

"Hey, it's not much longer before boot camp is over, and you get to spend some quality time with your boyfriend."

Cassia rolled her eyes. "Jake's not my boyfriend. Besides, isn't it against regulations?"

"Only if you're in the same unit or you're his superior. Odds are you'll serve in different units."

"Besides, I'm too busy with serving the Alliance to have a boyfriend," Cassia concluded, ending the discussion.

….

Cassia sweated heavily in the dark, heavy air of Rio. She spent half the time fending off the many clusters of mosquitoes that seemed determined to feast on her blood. While she performed well during her basic training, the fact she was invited to the coveted N-school for further training was a shock. As she examined the line of other recruits, she did a double take when she recognized two of them.

"Tammy!"

The other woman ignored propriety, and embraced her in a rib cracking hug, her chocolate brown eyes shining with elation. Jake, the blond haired, hazel eyed man whom Cassia was attracted to, stood nervously behind her excitable best friend.

"So are you excited or what?" Tammy asked.

Cassia smiled, noting that the prospect of harsh training that would make boot camp seem like a walk in the park didn't dampen Tammy's enthusiasm at all.

"Well, at least there's no danger of this being boring," she replied. Even Jake smiled a little at Cassia's comment, causing butterflies to swell slightly in her chest. She fought to keep them down, knowing that she needed to focus on training, not moon after Jake.

….

Tammy beamed from her spot next to Cassia as they patiently waited to be called up to the stage for the graduation. In the months since the beginning of N-school, the group of students went from thirty men and women to herself, Tammy, and three other men. It was still hard to believe she'd earned the coveted N-7 designation. Wrex sat among the small audience of friends and family members here to celebrate. He didn't appear bothered that most of the others gathered gave him a wide berth.

"Shepard, Cassia!" Cassia walked up onto the stage and received her paper from a tan woman whose name she couldn't recall, who ran the N-school. David Anderson, the semi-famous veteran of the First Contact War, beamed at her. While she didn't know him too well, he'd acted as mentor of sorts while she was at the N-school, and Cassia started to view him as a second father.

After receiving a surprise, fierce hug from Wrex, Cassia was surprised to see Jake standing there with a bouquet of lilies.

"Hi," he said shyly, glancing at the ground.

"Hi," she replied. "You're not still sour that you didn't make it past N-1 training, are you?"

"It did sting for a time," Jake admitted. "But now, I realize that it's an honor just to be an N-1. I'm surprised Tammy made it." He hesitated before adding, "Actually I was wondering if we could go out sometime, since we're not serving in the same unit it wouldn't break regulations."

"I think I'd like that," Cassia admitted, glancing at Tammy, who was being fussed over by her brother, and mother. She hugged Jake, who gradually returned her embrace; this was the happiest day of her life, not counting the day she met her father, Wrex.

….

"Morning sunshine." Cassia felt a hand poke gently into her side and reluctantly opened her weary eyes. Jake was dressed casually in a Hawaiian t-shirt and shorts and looked excited to do the tourist stuff. He'd always been more of a morning person than she was.

She groaned. "I knew it was a mistake to use our leave to go on vacation together."

Jake winked. "Well, it's better than you throwing yourself into more training. If you work too much you'll end up burning yourself out." When she still didn't move he added. "We could always just stay in bed and go exploring later."

Cassia smiled softly. "I like the sound of that."

She lay under the covers for a little while longer, before sitting up and yawning loudly. Cassia dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, ready to explore Elysium for the first time. They walked along the main concourse, where most of the shops were located. Most of the other beings were either humans or asari, but there were a few turians scattered about, and Cassia thought she glimpsed the blue suit of a quarian.

"Are you ok?" she inquired.

Jake shrugged. "I'm fine. I'm just not used to seeing so many different aliens."

"The sheltered colony kid," Cassia teased. "How will you survive?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'll manage."

When they sat by big fountain along the main concourse and fed the pigeons a portion of their lunch, Cassia can't shake the feeling that something terrible is about to happen. All the hairs on her skin are prickled up, as if sensing some eminent danger. Suddenly, she hears an explosion and the desperate screams of civilians caught in the crosshairs of a batarian attack. Both, Cassia and Jake jumped up to confront this danger. She grabbed the small sidearm she always kept at her side, while Jake cursed that he'd left his at the hotel. Cassia instinctively placed herself between several civilians and the oncoming batarians and launched a singularity them. Two of them fell, screaming, but two more rapidly took their place. She and Jake fought their way to one of the larger shops, noting that several small groups of turians and asari were doing something similar. When Cassia arrived in the shop (tuxedos and evening dresses scattered in piles as if a gigantic toddler threw a temper tantrum) she noted that the human owner was sitting in a chair, frozen, with an expression of disbelief on his brown skinned face. She had no words to comfort this terrified civilian; therapy wasn't really part of her set of skills. The other groups were arguing intently about what course of action to take in response to the batarian invasion.

Cassia walked to the front of the room and yelled, "Quiet!"

Everyone immediately stopped talking and fixed their eyes on her. A part of Cassia wanted to step back, but she knew that someone needed to solve the dilemma of this invasion, and that someone happened to be her. "We need to work together to take down this threat," she asserted, attempting to sound more confident than she felt. "Everyone who has undergone military training, or worked as a mercenary, raise your hand."

All of the turians and two of the asari raised their hands. There were no asari commandoes, but the two asari appeared to be battle hardened and their biotics would be an asset. As Cassia scanned the group, one turian female in particular stood out to her. There was a self assured confidence to her posture, and her blue eyes were alight with determination. "What's your name?" she inquired.

The turian met her gaze and replied, "Solana Vakarian."

For the first time, Cassia smiled. "Solana, I want you to pick a team and work you're way to the garrison stationed here. I'll take anyone else who can fight and do the same."

"And if the garrison is wiped out?" she asked.

Her query increased the respect Cassia felt for her; most turians tended to follow orders blindly, without questioning them. "If the garrison is wiped out, then you'll to recruit more civilians, anyone with weapons training. I know it's a desperate maneuver, but this a desperate situation."

They split between them those who possessed combat experience. Cassia felt slightly guilty for adding one of the asari to her group, considering her own biotics. The small group of asari who lacked any combat experience would stay behind, and barricade themselves in. It was a wrench to leave them behind, but she noted that they all seemed enthusiastic about defending this place from the invading batarians.

When she completed her debriefing, Cassia noted that Jake was speaking gently with the shopkeeper, whose limbs seemed to loosen up slightly. The man was still terrified, but he was no longer a frozen statue.

"That was nice of you to talk to him," she complimented, wishing she could be as astute as he was at interacting with other beings.

Jake smiled as they left the shop. "You just have to show interest in their pasts. Take Maxwell Bellefleur for example, he's planning to marry his long time fiancée in three months and is anxious about picking out the right tuxedo."

The two groups split up, taking different routes, and Cassia focused on the battle. This wasn't anything like other combat she'd participated in. It was haphazard, without any clear battle lines. Fortunately, none of the batarians she faced expected her biotics, which were supplemented by the asari mercenary. Finally, when she turned to face yet another opponent and was met with silence, Cassia sagged in relief. But when she turned to celebrate with Jake, she couldn't find him. It took her hours after she debriefed both her team and the surviving members of the local garrison to find her boyfriend lying motionless in an alleyway, his blue eyes wide with shock.

….

It took all of her courage to go to Jake's funeral. His parents never were fond of her when they'd been dating, and blamed her for his death. To add insult to injury, they'd insisted on only inviting humans to their son's funeral, barring the strike teams of aliens who felt close to Jake in spite of only knowing him for a few hours. Tammy took leave to attend the funeral and put her arm comfortingly around her friend during the service. In addition, Max and his fiancée provided a lovely spread of greenish-white carnations.

When the service was done, and they finally buried Jake in the family plot, Cassia vowed that she would never again allow herself to become inappropriately close to someone she was working with. It simply wasn't worth the pain.

….

Garrus Vakarian escaped into his family backyard from his sister's relentless crowing about some human she'd worked with during the invasion of Elysium. He was proud that his sister handled herself well, and received commendations both from the Hierarchy and the Alliance, but there was only so much he could hear about "Shepherd did this" and "Shepherd was good at that". After all, what so important about his human anyways?

"Garrus?" His sister Solana followed him into the backyard. "Are you all right?"

"Just escaping from you constantly going on about Shepherd," he replied, not caring if he sounded rude. Come to think of it, he was growing tired of pretending that everything was all right. That Mom didn't struggle to recall who they were on her bad days, and that C-Sec did nothing while crime ran rampant in the Citadel.

"She's a talented person," was all Solana said. "I think you two would get along great actually."

"Why exactly would we get along?"

"You both have zero tolerance for idle small talk."

….

"No."

"At least consider the option Shepherd," Anderson said pleadingly. They were sitting in his office and Cassia was out of patience.

"It's not that I don't want this position sir," Cassia admitted. "It's just that I feel I lack experience to be an effective XO."

"Shepherd, you're the only candidate I trust for this position." Translation: I trust you more than the candidate Consular Udina put forward. Udina was known for being a little more human first than Anderson liked.

"Fine, I'll take the position." Cassia had a feeling that her father Wrex wasn't going to let her hear the end of this when they met again. He was currently on a job at the Citadel, and she'd only received sporadic contact from him. So she left Anderson's office to pack a bag and get ready for her new assignment aboard the Alliance frigate SSV Normandy SR-1.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Coming up next, we dive into the events of Mass Effect 1.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I had issues transferring the chapter to my laptop. So on with the show.

Disclaimer: I don't _Mass Effect_. This is owned by Bioware.

Chapter Three

The _Normandy_ took off from its docking berth without a hitch and they were on their way to Eden Prime. It wasn't the destination Cassia would have picked for a shake down run, but she wasn't complaining. Besides, compared to the stoic Spectre turian on board, it was fairly normal. Nihlus was the stereotypical turian; stoic, and not directly volunteering any personal information unless asked. It made the crew rather uneasy, and her attempts at soliciting info from said turian had all been one worded and annoyed, so Cassia gave up.

She went to the bridge as the _Normandy_ began its approach to the mass effect relay. Although she'd traveled many times via mass relay living with her father and serving the Alliance, a part of Cassia always felt anticipation and excitement as the pilot whom everyone referred to as Joker announced their approach and the countdown. The _Normandy_ shot through the relay faster than a speeding bullet and arrived at their destination coordinates.

Cassia also noted that Nihlus' expression did not change when Joker announced their vector. "Your captain will be pleased" was more professional then polite.

"I don't trust that guy," Joker admitted. "Besides since when do turian Spectres accompany Alliance frigates on shake down runs?"

Co-pilot Kaidan who was mooned over by both female and male crewmembers replied, "The Council partially funded this mission, they have a right to send an observer."

That might be true, but their method was making the crew uneasy, and a nervous crew was less likely to respond efficiently to a crisis. "I agree with Helmsman Moreau. They don't send Spectres on shake down runs." When Joker smiled she added, "On the other hand, we should be polite, since we need to stay on the good side of the both the Council and Turian Hierarchy."

"Joker, Status report," Anderson said via communications, interrupting the trio's musings.

"All systems are green and stealth systems are engaged sir. Captain, Nihlus is headed your way," Joker reported.

"He's already here Lieutenant," replied Anderson, which made Joker mutter some curse words under his breath. "Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing."

"Wish me luck." She nodded to the bridge crew and attempted not to comb her hands through her red hair as she calmly walked to the meeting room, which of course featured pictures of their upcoming destination: Eden Prime, which was a deciduous environment. And of course, Nihlus was the only other person present in the room.

"I have heard that Eden Prime is a beautiful place."

"I wouldn't know much about it, since I've never been there before," Cassia admitted. "No offense, but have you been to every single planet in the Hierarchy?"

Nihlus actually nodded. "You've made a fair point Shepard."

They fell into an awkward silence until Anderson entered the comm room, relaxed and at ease. "I think it's about time we tell the Commander what's really going on."

"This mission is far more than a simple shake down run," Nihlus said.

"I figured there was something you weren't telling us," Cassia admitted, waiting patiently for answers.

"We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime," Anderson explained. "That's why we needed the stealth systems operational."

That made sense, as frustrating as the concealment of the mission was. "So, what's the covert pick-up for exactly sir?"

"A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean."

Cassia nodded as both Anderson and Nihlus explained why they needed to perform a covert pick-up of the beacon. However, she faltered when Nihlus made a surprising revelation.

"The beacon's not the only reason I'm here Shepard," Nihlus stated.

"Nihlus wants to see you in action Commander," Anderson added. "He's here to evaluate you."

"What's going on Captain?" Cassia inquired. This wasn't what she expected during the debrief.

"As you probably are already aware the Alliance has been pushing for more of a say in Council politics. If we have a human accepted as a Spectre it will show how far humanity has come."

"You held off an enemy assault during the Blitz single-handed," Nihlus stated, with a hint of respect in his tone. "You showed not only courage but also incredible skill. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres."

"Why would a turian want a human in the Spectres, especially a human with my connections?" Cassia asked, because if she had a credit for every time someone doubted her loyalty to the Alliance due to her adoptive father, she'd be wealthy enough to retire in a tropical beach house.

"Not all turians resent humanity. Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer the rest of the galaxy….and to the Spectres. We are an elite group. It's rare to find an individual with the skills we seek. I don't care that you're human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job."

"I assume this is good for the Alliance," Cassia addressed Anderson, both because he didn't make her nervous and he was still her CO.

"Earth needs this Shepard. We're counting on you."

Well that sealed what her ultimate answer would be, although Cassia didn't relish the amount of teasing Wrex was going to dole out to her when he found out. So, she simply nodded and accepted the mission. Just as they finished the debriefing, Joker interrupted with a broken transmission of an attack. It was fuzzy and hard to focus as most helmet cameras were, until Anderson asked the recording to pause over a ship like object that resembled a squid. It looked like the simple recon mission just became a lot more complicated.

…

While, Ashley considered herself to be religious, she wasn't one to blame God for her problems. This time, with the geth and rest of her team down, she really wanted to scream at the heavens for the unfairness of it all. And then, Ryan was shot and his body was impaled on a spike thingy by the geth. She ducked behind cover to reload her rifle, and suddenly, shots rang out. With the new arrivals, Ashley was able to throw herself back into the fray, managing to take down one of the geth platforms with a shot. After the last of the geth fell, she turned to survey her rescuers. One, was a red-haired woman with blue eyes, and the other was brown haired with brown eyes. Both had skin tones paler than her own light tan, and from their stances had more combat experience.

"Thank you, ma'am, I thought I was dead meat. I'm Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. Are you the one in charge here?"

"Are you wounded, Williams?" the woman asked.

The fact that she seemed genuinely concerned touched Ashley. "Just a few scrapes and bruises, ma'am. Nothing that won't heal in time. The others weren't as lucky as I was."

"I'm Commander Shepard. This is Lieutenant Alenko. We're the team sent to retrieve the beacon. Is there anyone else in your squad left?"

Ashley shook her head. "No ma'am, as far as I know I'm the only one left." While she hadn't been BFFs with her squad, it was disheartening to know that none of the people she served with for the past two years remained.

"This isn't your fault Williams," Commander Shepard said soothingly. "You did what you could. Are you feeling well enough to move?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ashley declared. "It's payback time."

She noted that both Commander and LT drank biotic juice before setting out. One of the unexpected perks of working alongside a pair of biotics was that taking down the geth platforms was easier. They arrived at the dig site, and Ashley was relieved to note that at least one of the scientists survived the massacre. Unfortunately, when they arrived where the beacon was supposed to be located it had already been moved. So, they had to take out more geth in order to get to the beacon.

Ashley's curiosity about this piece of Prothean technology got the better of her, and she wandered too close to the beacon. It tried to pull her in, but the Commander pushed her out of the way and was pulled in instead.

 _"Shit, now I've really messed things up,"_ Ashley thought, as Alenko called for the ship they arrived in to pick them up.

…

Wrex wasn't having the best day, because it had been a long time since he'd spoken to his adoptive daughter Cassia and he was worried about her. Plus, he was also pissed off that Fist decided it would be a great idea to cross the Shadow Broker. It wasn't that the upcoming fight wouldn't be worthwhile. It was more that he wasn't thrilled at the possibility of having to protect a helpless quarian whose skill level wasn't anywhere near his own. Hopefully, he could take out Fist and save the quarrian whom the Broker deemed as useful. And maybe, Cassia would drop him a message from wherever the hell she was currently.

…

After the freaky vision, she experienced, Cassia was more than happy that the _Normandy_ was docking at the Citadel. In spite of Anderson's reassurance, she knew that Udina would blame her for the destruction of the beacon and Nihlus' death. As the ship pulled in Cassia noted that Ashley Williams was in awe.

"You've never been to the Citadel before Williams?" she asked.

Ashley flushed, still feeling guilty about her role in the destroyed beacon fiasco. "No ma'am, all my postings prior to this were on colonies."

And of course, they all gawked at the giant blue _Destiny Ascension_ , the pride of the Citadel fleet. It felt like only yesterday that Cassia's adoptive father took her to the Citadel for the first time. Joker landed the _Normandy_ once he received clearance from the tower. Predictably when they met with Udina, he blamed Cassia for the destruction of the beacon. Cassia also wasn't sure how she felt about Anderson immediately jumping to her defense; she didn't want to cause any trouble for her mentor.

"And this is why I hate politicians," Ashley said the moment Udina and Anderson were out of earshot. Only decorum prevented Cassia from vigorously agreeing.

After a short debate, the trio purchased snacks, because both she and Alenko needed the calories. Ashley caved after her stomach let out a massive growl. When the threesome arrived at the Citadel Tower they walked in on an argument between two turians, one of whom looked kind of hot, although Cassia told herself to ignore that. He also had the same markings as Solana.

"Saren's hiding something! Give me more time! Stall them!" he yelled.

"Stall the Council?" asked the other turian with light blue markings that covered most of his face. "Don't be ridiculous! Your investigation is over, Garrus." And of course, said turian walked away.

Garrus noticed the group and approached; Ashley backed away instinctively. "Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian. I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren."

"Any relation to Solana Vakarian?" Cassia knew it was off topic, but if she didn't ask, it would keep irritating her like a gnat.

"She's my sister," Garrus explained.

"Ok. So, why don't you like Saren?" she asked.

"I don't trust him. Something about him rubs me the wrong way. But he's a Spectre: everything he touches is classified. I can't find any hard evidence."

"I think the Council's waiting for us Commander," Kaidan interrupted.

"Good luck Shepard," Garrus added. "Maybe they'll listen to you."

Cassia knew she probably was blushing now, so she nodded and worked to compose herself as the trio walked up the astronomical number of stairs to the Council Chambers. She had never considered herself xenophobic. On the other hand, she'd never considered herself to be a xenophile either. Both of her two previous boyfriends were human.

 _"Besides, I'm not getting involved with anyone else, not after what happened with Jake,"_ she told herself.

Of course, the trial was already in progress with the Council clearly favoring Saren. Cassia actually felt sorry for Udina, who looked pissed off at the Council's railroading. Saren who was the white scaled with a bare face, wasn't even attending the trial in person.

"We've read the Eden Prime reports, Ambassador. The testimony of one traumatized dockworker is hardly proof." The Salarian councilor stated this in a dull monotone.

"I resent these accusations," Saren said. "Nihlus was a fellow Spectre. And a friend."

"That just let you catch him off guard!" Anderson yelled.

"Captain Anderson. You always seem to be involved when humanity makes false charges against me. And this must be your protégé Commander Shepard. The one who let the beacon get destroyed."

Well, at least Cassia now had some ammunition so to speak against Saren. "The mission to Eden Prime was top secret. The only way you could know about the beacon was if you were there!"

Unfortunately, Saren had a counter argument. "With Nihlus gone, his files passed on to me. I read the Eden Prime report. I was unimpressed. But what can you expect from a human?"

"Saren despises humanity. That's why he attacked Eden Prime."

"Your species needs to learn its place Shepard," Saren hissed. "You're not ready to join the Council. You're not even ready to join the Spectres."

"He has no right to say that!" Udina yelled. "That's not his decision!"

"Shepard's admission into the Spectres is not the purpose of this meeting," the asari councilor said, finally show that the Council did have some backbone after all.

"This meeting has no purpose!" Saren declared. "The humans are wasting your time, Councilor! And mine!"

"I agree, this meeting has been a waste of time since none of you are willing to admit that Saren is responsible for the deaths on Eden Prime!" Cassia yelled. The Councilors ignored her, but Saren looked as though he was reevaluating his initial thoughts on her. Not that it made a difference in this farce of a trial.

"There is still one outstanding issue: Commander Shepard's vision," Anderson pointed out. "It may have been triggered by the beacon."

"Are we allowing dreams into evidence now?" Saren asked, glaring daggers at Anderson with his cold blue eyes. "How can I defend my innocence against this kind of testimony?"

"I agree," the turian councilor said. "Our judgement must be based on facts and evidence, not wild imaginings and reckless speculation."

And of course, the salarian councilor had the gall to ask, "Do you have anything else to add Commander Shepard?"

"You've made your decision," she said. "I won't waste my breath."

"The Council has found no evidence of any link between Saren and the geth," the asari councilor said after several gestures passed between her and the turian councilor. "Ambassador, your petition to have him disbarred from the Spectres is denied."

"I'm glad to see justice was served," Saren purred like a cat who'd gotten away with killing his family's pet rat.

"This meeting is adjourned," the asari councilor said. Cassia walked down the stairs out of the meeting room, furious of the miscarriage of justice. However, one way or another, she would expose Saren for the crimes he'd committed or she would die trying.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please read and review.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: So, here's the next chapter as the Saren investigation begins.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Mass Effect_. This is owned by Bioware.

Chapter Four

After the disastrous trial, Cassia decided to inquire about any potential leads that the Alliance dug up. Since the Council and C-Sec refused to help, they were going to have to do the footwork all themselves. And of course, Councilor Udina was criticizing Captain Anderson for a decision Udina made.

"So how exactly do you and Saren know each other?" she asked.

"I worked with him on a mission a long time ago," Anderson explained. "Things went bad. Real bad. We shouldn't talk about this here. But I know what he's like. And he has to be stopped."

"We need to deal with Saren ourselves," Cassia asserted.

"As a Spectre, he's virtually untouchable," Udina said. "We need to find some way to expose him.

"What about Garrus, that C-Sec investigator?" Kaidan interjected. "We saw him arguing with the executor."

"That's right! He was asking for more time to finish his report," Ashley added. "Seems like he was close to finding something about Saren."

Considering that Garrus seemed as determined to expose Saren as they were, it made sense to join forces and pool resources. Cassia attempted that it was that and not her attraction to Garrus that made her want to find him. "Any idea where we could find him?"

Luckily, Udina seemed willing to provide intel. "I have a contact in C-Sec who can help us track Garrus down. His name is Harkin."

"Forget it," Anderson said. "They suspended Harkin last month. Drinking on the job. I won't waste my time with that loser."

"You won't have to. I don't want the Council using your past history with Saren as an excuse to ignore anything we turn up. Shepard will handle this."

"You can't just cut Captain Anderson out of this investigation," Cassia protested.

"The ambassador's right," Captain Anderson admitted. "I need to step aside." And of course, Udina took that opportunity to leave. "If you want to find Harkin, he's probably hanging out in Chora's Den. That's a dingy club in the lower section of the Wards."

"Do we have any other leads?" she inquired, in case Harkin didn't feel like spilling the information on Garrus.

"There's a volus named Barla Von, who is rumored to be an agent of the Shadow Broker. He doesn't work cheaply, but it's worth a shot."

"Thank you, sir," she replied. As frustrating as the red tape in the Alliance could be at times, she knew that Anderson had her back.

"Good hunting Shepard."

With that, the trio set off to find Barla Von's office. After traipsing down several dead-end hallways that led to offices, Cassia was able to locate Barla Von with a little help from Kaidan, who was fairly good at coming up with a mental map of the Citadel. Unsurprisingly, the volus didn't look at all surprised that three humans materialized in his office.

"One of the Earth-clan," Barla Von mused. "You are the one they call Shepard. I've heard about your heroism during the Blitz."

"You've got me at a disadvantage here," Cassia admitted.

"Forgive me Earth-Clan," he replied. "My name is Barla Von. My job makes it necessary for me to keep informed. I am a financial advisor to many important clients here on the Citadel. When someone as important as yourself arrives on the station, I take notice."

She decided to cut to the chase and ask for the intel she needed and hoped she would be able to pay the gargantuan fee. "I heard you work for the Shadow Broker. Do you have any information about Saren?"

"Your very blunt Shepard," Barla Von noted. "But you're right. I am an agent for the Shadow Broker and I do know something about Saren."

"I hear you information can be expensive," Cassia said, prepared to haggle on the price so she wouldn't end up depleting her savings account just to gain a paltry amount of intel on Saren.

"Normally this information would cost a small fortune," the volus noted. "But these are exceptional circumstances. So, I'm going to give it to you for free."

"So, what's the catch?" Ashley inquired before Cassia could. Unlike Kaidan, the young woman recognized that nothing in this life was free.

"There is no catch," Barla Von asserted. "The Shadow Broker is quite upset with Saren right now. They used to do a lot of business. Until Saren turned on him."

"Saren's turned on a lot of people lately," Cassia said.

"I don't know the details, but the Shadow Broker hired freelancer to deal with it. A krogan mercenary."

Cassia had a gut feeling in her stomach that this krogan mercenary was a familiar face. "What's this krogan's name?"

Barla didn't seem thrilled that she continued to badger him, but parted readily with the knowledge. "His name is Urdnot Wrex and he's currently at the C-Sec academy. If you hurry, you might catch up to him before he leaves."

After Cassia thanked the volus for his time, Ashley hesitantly spoke. "If you don't mind me asking ma'am, what exactly is your interest in the krogan mercenary?"

Since Kaidan also looked eager for an answer to Ashley's query, Cassia decided it wouldn't hurt to give them both an answer. "Wrex is my adoptive father Williams. As to how a krogan mercenary adopted a human orphan, it's a long story, we should get going if we want to meet Harkin and find out if he really does know something about Garrus."

Cassia decided that her reunion with her father could wait, since she knew her father could handle himself well in a fight. Garrus on the other hand, may need back-up. At least, that was the justification of her need to find the turian instead of her adoptive father.

…

Garrus Vakarian wasn't having a good day. First, he got chewed out by his boss for asking for more time on the Saren investigation, and now his only lead was being menaced by a group of human thugs. He was an excellent shot, but that wouldn't do him any good if his only source of information was killed in the crossfire.

"I didn't tell anyone I swear!" Dr. Michel was a good doctor, but she was not a combatant. Garrus sometimes had to remind himself that other species didn't require several years of military service the way turians did.

"That was smart Doc. Now if Garrus come around, you stay smart. Keep your mouth shut, or we'll…"

Suddenly, the thug started when he noticed some other people who weren't a turian officer. "Who are you?" The man pulled Dr. Michel towards him, since she was his only leverage.

"Let her go."

Garrus recognized the calm, authoritative voice of Commander Shepard, but he had more important things to worry about. He aimed his rifle, and shot the man who was holding Dr. Michel. She wisely ducked and crawled out of harm's way.

He noted that both Commander Shepard and the only man on their team flared biotic blue. Garrus had never really fought alongside biotics since the cabals worked separately from the rest of the turian military. It certainly gave their group an edge in the firefight, as Commander Shepard threw one of the thugs off balance, who was then taken out by the other woman. Garrus aimed and shot another of the thugs, leaving the other to be taken out by Commander Shepard.

He had to admit that he was relieved that Shepard and her squad arrived when they did, since it allowed him to save Dr. Michel. Hopefully, the doctor would have some information that would expose Saren's treachery. "Perfect timing, Shepard. Gave me a clear shot at that bastard."

"What were you thinking?" she scolded. "You could have hit the hostage!"

And of course, he got the usual lecture about being reckless. Although he could maybe see her point about Doctor Michel potentially getting hurt. "There wasn't time to think! I just reacted. I didn't mean to-! Doctor Michel? Are you hurt?"

While she did sport some light bruising from where one of those thugs must have hit her, she seemed to have escaped from the ordeal without major injuries. "No, I'm ok. Thanks to you. All of you."

The Commander's voice softened and took on a soothing tone when she spoke to Dr. Michel. "I know those men threatened you. But if you tell us who they work for, we can protect you."

"They work for Fist," Dr. Michel explained. "They wanted to shut me up, keep me from telling Garrus about the quarian."

Well that sounded very interesting, considering that quarians rarely left the Flotilla. And what would a quarian have to do with a lead on Saren?

"What quarian?" the Commander asked.

"A few days ago, a quarian came by my office. She'd been shot, but she wouldn't tell me who did it. I could tell she was scared, probably on the run. She asked me about the Shadow Broker. She wanted to trade information in exchange for a safe place to hide."

"Then what happened?" Shepard prompted.

"I put her in contact with Fist," Dr. Michel replied. "He's an agent of the Shadow Broker."

"Not anymore," Garrus added. "Now he works for Saren, and the Shadow Broker isn't too happy about it."

Dr. Michel snorted. "Fist betrayed the Shadow Broker? That's stupid, even for him. Saren must have made him quite the offer."

"That quarian must have something Saren wants," Garrus said. "Something worth crossing the Shadow Broker to get."

"She must have something that proves he's a traitor," Shepard noted, and Garrus was pleased to have someone on the same wavelength with him after years of arguing with his colleagues at C-Sec. "Did the quarian mention anything about Saren? Or the geth?"

Dr. Michel actually smiled a little. "She did! The information she was going to trade. She said it had something to do with the geth."

"She must be able to link Saren to the geth," Garrus said. "There's no way the Council can ignore this!"

"I guess it's time to pay Fist a visit," Shepard said. "And I'll see about giving your contact info to the Alliance so that Fist's thugs don't try to harm you for working with us."

Dr. Michel blushed a similar shade to her auburn hair when the Commander mentioned a protection detail. However, she quickly got down to business of treating both herself and her rescuers. Garrus noted that she had an excellent understanding of turian anatomy; not surprising, given that she'd worked on the Citadel for quite some time. However, now he needed to convince Cassia Shepard that she should take him along with her.

"This is your show Shepard. But I want to bring down Saren as much as you do. I'm coming with you!"

Surprisingly, she didn't look disgusted at him imposing. She appeared almost intrigued. "He's a turian, why do you want to take him down badly?"

"Saren is a traitor to the Council and a disgrace to my people!" It was kind of a relief to vent out his feelings without getting criticized for not maintaining the party line about the malevolent Spectre.

"Welcome aboard, Garrus," she said. "I guess now we go to the C-Sec academy to pick up Wrex before he demolishes the place."

"You knew about the krogan mercenary?"

"Barla Von mentioned it," she replied, as though speaking to an agent of the Shadow Broker was an everyday occurrence for her.

Just then, the human man winced, clutching his head. Both Shepard and Dr. Michel moved in, anxious. He waved them both off. "I'm fine. Just one of my headaches."

"Maybe you should go back to the _Normandy_ Alenko," Shepard suggested. "You wouldn't want to overdo it with the biotics."

Alenko appeared as though he wanted to argue, but clearly thought better of it when another chorus of pains rippled through his head. "Fine," he said.

After he left, Garrus, the other woman, and Shepard moved off at a reasonable pace towards the C-Sec academy and his new assignment. To be honest, Garrus had few regrets about leaving C-Sec apart from his father acting disappointed in him. He was ready to head off into a new and exciting adventure.

Author's Note: I hoped you like the insight into Garrus' thoughts on Cassia. And coming up next chapter, we'll have a family reunion between Cassia and Wrex.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to come out with the next chapter, which turned out to be longer than I expected.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Mass Effect_. This is owned by Bioware.

Chapter Five

Going into the C-Sec academy was more an annoyance then a setback, partially due to the fact that the group of human C-Sec officers were rather reluctant to confront a Krogan Battlemaster. While, it was disappointing that he wouldn't get to fight them, Wrex was looking forward to taking Fist out and getting paid for his work. At least, he was until he recognized Cassia, with her bright red hair and blue eyes. She was flanked by a human woman with light brown skin and a male turian with blue colony markings.

"Cassia!" He might be confused by her presence, but he's happy to see her considering he thought it would be months before she would be back from her highly-classified mission.

She smiled, but looked a little nervous. "Hi, Dad. So, long story short, I'm searching for evidence of Saren's wrongdoings and Fist might have some evidence. I'll let you kill Fist and claim the bounty, but we'll deal with the rest of Fist's my way."

To say he wasn't thrilled about Cassia risking her life against a ruthless turian Spectre was putting it mildly. On top of that, they likely wouldn't even be facing a fight, since Cassia would be negotiating. On the other hand, she was letting him kill Fist, which was a plus in his book. "Fine."

Cassia paced as if she wasn't sure which of her two companions she should pick to accompany them to confront Fist. Fortunately, the turian made the decision for her. "I kind of need to fill out some paperwork."

"Sure Vakarian," she replied. "Let me just give you the information about where the _Normandy_ is docked."

Once she'd completed that, Vakarian took off faster than a speeding bullet. Wrex shrugged; it wouldn't be the first or last time, a turian was reluctant to work with him. He noted that on the way to Fist's, Cassia and Williams chatted about Cassia's past. Wrex was also excited to note when they entered the closed down Chora's Den, that several thugs moved in to fight. Wrex zeroed in on the sole biotic in the oppositions group, and knocked him down, although not before the man managed to knock over Williams. Fortunately, Cassia rushed to defend her fellow human, although she seemed to be limiting her biotic output. After Ashley was helped up, the trio took down the rest of the thugs with a combo of their guns and his biotics. It was an exhilarating fight that got Wrex's blood pumped for when he would kill Fist. The trio moved on into the warehouse they were challenged by a pair of human workers.

"Stop right there!" one of them said, pointing a gun at the group. "Don't come any closer!"

"Stay back or we'll shoot!" the other worker added.

"This would be a good time to find somewhere else to work," Cassia suggested.

The pair glanced at each other briefly, before lowering their weapons. "That does sound like a good idea," one of them said.

"And I never liked Fist anyways," said the other. So, the pair vacated the premises. When the trio finally arrived in Fist's lair, a pair of defensive turrets slid up into view.

"This just got exciting!" Wrex crowed, as the trio worked to take down the turrets.

Fist looked scared when they finally took down the turrets. "Please! Don't kill me. I'll tell you where the quarian is! She wanted a meeting with the Shadow Broker."

"No one meets the Shadow Broker in person," Wrex pointed out.

"She didn't know that. So, I set her up to be ambushed by Saren's men."

Wrex glanced at Cassia, checking to make sure she had everything she needed to know. When she nodded, he shot the man in the head. Fist twitched for several minutes before finally stilling.

"Ok, you feel up to rescuing that quarian before she gets killed?" Cassia inquired, since her adoptive father wasn't part of the Alliance and she technically had absolutely no right to order him about.

"Are you kidding Cassia, I'm just getting warmed up for the fight!" Wrex declared.

So, they took off to rescue the quarian after Wrex sent an invoice to the Shadow Broker confirming that the job was done. As the trio crept into the ally, he noted that there several thugs and a turian who was eyeing the quarian in an unusually lustful way.

"Did you bring it?" the turian purred.

"Where's the Shadow Broker? Where's Fist?" the quarian asked, starting to sound a little nervous.

The turian caressed her mask. "They'll be here. Where's the evidence?"

The quarian slapped his talon away, and Wrex's respect for the naïve kid went up slightly. "No way. The deal's off."

Two small mech droids closed in on the quarian only to be choked down in a booming explosion that left both on the ground. For a quarian, the kid wasn't a bad fighter. Ashley and Cassia provided cover fire, while Wrex moved in. The turian assassin blanched in terror; he probably hadn't anticipated facing off against a krogan Battlemaster. Wrex glowed blue and hurled energy towards the assassin, knocking the turian off his feet. Before the assassin could get up, he was taken out by Ashley and Cassia's guns. Wrex then helped them make quick work of the mech droids, which fell into small melted chunks.

"Fist set me up!" the quarian yelled. "I knew I couldn't trust him!"

"Are you all right?" Cassia asked.

"I'm fine, and thank you for rescuing me from those thugs. Who are you exactly?" the quarian asked.

"My name's Cassia Shepard. I'm looking for evidence to prove Saren's a traitor."

"Then I have a chance to repay you for saving my life," the quarian said. "But not here. We need to go somewhere safe."

"What about the Alliance Embassy?" Williams suggested. "Plus, I'll bet Udina and Anderson will want to hear this intel also, ma'am."

Cassia nodded. "Good point Williams. Let's move it, double time!"

Unfortunately, they were not challenged on the path to the Alliance embassy, since Wrex felt primed for another fight. At least, he now had confirmation that in spite of her "rules" Cassia was a formidable combatant, and a biotic prodigy. When they arrived at the embassy, Udina started droning on and on in the inconsequential drivel that politicians the galaxy over were infamous for.

"And who is this?" Udina added. "A quarian? What exactly are you up to Shepard?"

"Making your day ambassador," Cassia replied. "She has information linking Saren to the geth."

"Really? Maybe you'd better start at the beginning Miss…."

"My name is Tali," the quarian explained. "Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya."

Wrex ended up zoning out as Tali expounded about her Pilgrimage, or her rite to adulthood. When you had millennia worth of experience, not much was surprising or new. It wasn't until Tali mentioned that she'd managed to save small caches of data from a geth that he focused on the conversation.

"Eden Prim was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit."

Anderson seemed a bit excited when he heard Saren's voice over recording. "That's Saren's voice. This is the proof we need to bring to the Council."

"Wait there's more," Tali added. "Saren wasn't working alone."

"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers," a soft feminine voice said.

"I don't recognize that other voice," Ambassador Udina commented. "The one talking about Reapers."

Wrex noted that his foster daughter had a curious expression on her face; the same expression she possessed when she'd finally solved a perplexing mystery. "Are they some new kind of alien species?" Cassia asked.

"According to the memory core the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that existed 50,000 years ago," Tali replied. "The Reapers hunted the Protheans to total extinction and then they vanished. At least, that's what the geth believe."

"Sounds a little far-fetched," Udina said.

"The vision on Eden Prime, I understand it now," Cassia said. "I saw the Protheans being wiped out by the Reapers."

"The geth revere the Reapers as gods; the pinnacle of all non-organic life. And they believe Saren knows how to bring the Reapers back."

"The Council is just going to love this!" Udina exclaimed sarcastically.

"The Reapers are a threat to everyone in Citadel Space," Cassia asserted. "We have to tell them. Even if they don't believe us."

"No matter what they think about the rest of this, those audio files prove Saren's a traitor." Anderson didn't appear to care about the Reapers as long as he acquired evidence of Saren's treacherous actions. The human Councilor was just as eager to reveal the evidence to the Council; Wrex had a feeling that it was rare for these two humans to agree on anything.

"What about her? The quarian?" Williams asked.

"My name is Tali!" she yelled, and Wrex could empathize. It was frustrating to be referred to as though you were the only member of your species. He was just better at concealing his feelings than she was. Tali was surprisingly determined to be included in their expedition. Although, some of that "determination" could be because, there was superior protection from Saren's mercenaries as part of their increasingly rag-tag group.

After pointing out that Tali still had her pilgrimage to complete, Cassia nodded. "I'll take all the help I can get."

"Thanks. You won't regret this." Tali seemed pleased to be included in their group. After Udina and Anderson left to inform the Council, Cassia turned and gently headbutted him.

"I'm relieved to have you with me, Dad," she admitted. "This is shaping up to be one of the most dangerous missions I've embarked on."

"It certainly is shaping up to be more exciting than the work I usually acquire," Wrex replied. He was relieved that on this dangerous assignment, his foster daughter had him to provide back-up with his biotics and experience as a bounty hunter.

After a short conversation with Williams, Cassia decided to take Tali and Wrex to the Council meeting. "Just make sure Pressley knows he needs to acquire some dextro rations," she added to Williams. Everyone knew that quarians and turians ran on different amino acids and thus required different food than other species.

Williams nodded. "I'll make sure of it." They split up and Wrex trailed behind Cassia and Tali, keeping an eye out for any of Saren's mercenaries. Not that it would be prudent for Saren to order an attack on the Presidium on broad daylight. But one could never be too cautious.

…

Cassia felt a knot of anxiety in her chest, that none of the exercises she'd learnt from both Wrex and in basic could loosen. She'd acquired the evidence to prove that Saren was a traitor, but what was the next step? In addition, she realized that her inviting aliens on to an Alliance ship was going to result in a political shit-storm. Not that Cassia regretted her actions; she needed an extra biotic who wasn't ogling her, and Tali was safer among her group than off on her own against the full brunt of her Saren's forces. As for Garrus, it could be potentially useful to have someone who'd been working on the case before. At least, that's what Cassia told herself.

When they arrived, Cassia noted that Udina looked very pleased with himself as if he were the one who'd fought through mercenaries to acquire the evidence. At least the Council now knew the truth. "You wanted proof. There it is."

"This evidence is irrefutable Ambassador," the turian councilor admitted. "Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status and all efforts will be to bring him in for his crimes."

"I recognize the other voice," the asari councilor admitted. "Matriarch Benezia."

"Who is she?" Cassia inquired, relieved that the councilor had chosen to admit her knowledge of the identity of Saren's accomplice instead of obscuring it behind a veil of deceptions.

"Matriarchs are powerful asari who have entered the final stage of their lives. Revered for their wisdom and experience, they serve as guides and mentors to my people. Matriarch Benezia was a powerful biotic and she had many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren."

"I'm more interested in the Reapers. What do you know about them?" the salarian councilor asked.

Cassia observed that both the asari and turian councilors appeared skeptical as Anderson gave them a summary of what he knew about the Reapers. The salarian councilor appeared somewhat inquisitive, although it was difficult to read his facial cues. She knew Councilor Udina wanted to pretend the Reapers didn't exist and were a figment of her and Saren's imaginations. However, it wasn't in her nature to conceal information that could potentially be beneficial. "The geth believe the Reapers are god," she added. "And Saren is the prophet for their return."

"We think the Conduit is the key to bringing them back. Saren's searching for it. That's why he attacked Eden Prime." Anderson might be privately skeptical about the Reapers, but he was determined to support Cassia.

"Do we even know what this Conduit is?" the salarian councilor asked.

"Saren thinks it can bring back the Reapers. That's bad enough."

"Listen to what you're saying! Saren wants to bring back the machines that wiped out all life in the galaxy? Impossible. It has to be. Where did the Reapers go? Why did they vanish? How come we've found no trace of their existence? If they were real, we'd have found something!" The turian councilor clearly thought talking about the Reapers was a waste of time and a week ago, Cassia would have agreed wholeheartedly with him. It was miraculous how one vision from a prothean beacon profoundly altered her perspective.

"I tried to warn you about Saren and you refused to face the truth. Don't make the same mistake again."

Unfortunately, none of them seemed convinced. Even the salarian councilor didn't seem supportive, which was surprising given he'd been the one to ask about the Reapers.

"Saren is a rogue agent on the run for his life. He no longer has the rights or resources of a Spectre. The Council has stripped him of his position." As far as the turian councilor seemed concerned, the matter was cleared up.

Udina was livid. "That is not good enough! You know he's somewhere in the Traverse. Send your fleet in!"

"A fleet cannot track down one man," the salarian councilor pointed out.

"A Citadel fleet could secure the entire region. Keep the geth from attacking any more of our colonies." Cassia could believe that for all his shady politics, Udina really did care about their colonies that were under attack.

"Or it could trigger a war with the Terminus systems! We won't be dragged into a galactic confrontation over a few dozen human colonies!"

Neither side appeared to want to back down. There really was only one way to resolve this. Whether she liked it or not, Cassia was part of this complicated puzzle, and she would see it through to the end. "I can take Saren down."

"The commander's right," the asari councilor said. "There is a way to take down Saren that doesn't require fleets or armies."

"No! It's too soon," the turian councilor disagreed. "Humanity is not ready for the responsibilities that come with joining the Spectres."

"You don't have to send a fleet into the Traverse, and the Ambassador gets his human Spectre. Everybody's happy."

For a few moments, the turian councilor stared down the other two, before finally demurring. "Commander Shepard, step forward," the asari councilor said.

Nervously, Cassia obeyed her command. She noted that there were several spectators of various species watching from catwalks.

"It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel," she said.

"Spectres are not trained, but chosen," the salarian councilor declared. "Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle, those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file."

"Spectres are an ideal," the asari councilor said. "A symbol. The embodiment of courage, self-determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will."

"Spectres bear a great burden," the turian councilor said. "They are the protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."

"You are the first human Spectre, Commander," the asari councilor said. "This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species."

"I'm honored Councilor," Cassia said. It was beyond belief that an Earthborn street kid could rise to become the first human Spectre.

"We're sending you into the Traverse after Saren," the salarian councilor explained. "He's a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him."

"Any idea where to find him?" she asked.

"We forward any relevant data to Ambassador Udina," the turian councilor said.

"This meeting of the Council is adjourned," the asari councilor said.

"Congratulations Commander." Anderson shook her hand firmly.

At least now Cassia had a new goal: to defeat Saren before he completed his master plan.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: So here's the next chapter, and we finally meet Liara.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Mass Effect_. This is owned by Bioware.

Chapter Six

Cassia suppressed the urge to stomp her way on to the bridge. She was irate that Anderson had been forced to step down as CO of the _Normandy_. Moreover, she was aware that barely had any experience as an executive officer and now she was expected to be the commander of the ship. At least, she'd managed to acquire several leads on Saren and the geth; hopefully Liara T'Soni wouldn't mind answering some questions.

Apparently, the news of Anderson's demotion traveled fast, because Joker greeted her with, "I heard what happened to Captain Anderson. Survives a hundred battles, and then gets taken down by backroom politics. Just watch your back, Commander. Things go bad on this mission, you're next on the chopping block."

"Captain Anderson should be the one in charge," Cassia admitted, briefly allowing herself to show weakness. "It's like I'm stealing the ship from him."

"Yeah, the captain got screwed," Joker acknowledged. "But it's not like you could've stopped it. Nobody's blaming you. Everyone on this ship is behind you, Commander. One hundred percent. Intercom's open. If you've got anything to say to the crew, now's the time."

Cassia knew she needed to encourage her crew's faith in her even she didn't entirely have faith in herself. "This is Commander Shepard speaking. We have our orders: find Saren before he finds the Conduit. I won't lie to you, crew. This mission isn't going to be easy. This began with an attack on a human settlement in the Traverse. But we know Saren won't stop there. His geth armies aren't going to stay on the fringes of Citadel space. Our enemy knows we're coming. Wherever he searches for the Conduit, we'll be there. We will hunt him to the very ends of the galaxy and bring him down. Humanity needs to do this. Not just for our sake, but for the sake of every species in Citadel space. Saren must be stopped, and I promise you all…. we will stop him!"

Joker actually grinned. "Well said, Commander. Captain would be proud."

"The captain gave up everything so I could have this chance. We can't fail."

"Yes, ma'am," Joker replied.

With her big speech, out of the way, Cassia scurried off to talk to her crew. She needed to learn their personalities and what made them tick. Moreover, there was a certain human biotic's heart she had to break. It especially hurt that Alenko smiled when he noticed her approaching. "How are you doing, Commander? That was a nice speech you did."

Cassia decided to get it over with. "There's something I need to tell you Lieutenant. While, I'm flattered by your interest in me, I'm not interested. I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings, but I would rather say something than lead you on."

Alenko blushed, but didn't seem too upset. "No, I get it. Besides, the mission is more important."

"It is at that," Cassia said, and left him, because she figured he needed privacy to move on from his infatuation. Plus, she wanted to check in with both her foster father and Garrus.

…

Wrex grinned when he noticed that Cassia finally arrived at his station. "I was wondering when you'd work your way around to here."

Cassia pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I have a question, Dad. Why are you nervous about facing Saren?"

Wrex bristled at the thought of being nervous, since being afraid was very un-Krogan like. Unfortunately, Cassia was astute enough to pick up on. "I worked for Saren once on a mission," he explained. "I was hired though a third party, so I didn't meet Saren until the middle of the mission. I had a bad feeling about him. I left without getting paid, and I was the only mercenary who survived."

"So, who would win in a fight between you and Saren?" she inquired.

"My best guess would be that it would end in a stalemate," Wrex admitted. It was rare for him to encounter someone with a skill level that was as good as his own.

Cassia nodded. "There's just one more thing. You won't have any problems working with Garrus, will you?"

"Just as long as the kid learns some manners, I'll be fine." He'd worked with turians before rarely, since most of the time, he ended up breaking bones when they got all proud about the genophage.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'll be having a chat with him too."

…

Garrus wasn't exactly in a good mood, since he'd reluctantly contacted Solana to let her know about the change in his situation, and she'd proceeded to chew him out for giving up on C-Sec. Just when he was tempted to hang up on her, Shepard entered the room.

"Are you talking to Solana?" she asked.

"Hi, Shepard," Solana said. "The only good thing about my baby brother leaving C-Sec is that you'll be there to keep an eye on him."

"Sure," Shepard replied. "You watch your back too."

After he finally said good-bye to Solana and hung up, he muttered. "Spirits. That was embarrassing."

Shepard grinned. "At least she's not on board like my adoptive father. I'm pretty sure I'll need to explain to Wrex at some point that I can't take him on all my missions."

"Well there is that," Garrus admitted, relieved that Solana had chosen to continue with the military even if it was just a desk job.

"Speaking of which, you'll be ok working with Wrex right?" she asked.

That was another embarrassing moment; instinctively running from a krogan, even if said krogan was a skilled bounty hunter. "I'll manage."

"Good," she said, before moving on, leaving Garrus to ponder why it was he wanted to impress Shepard.

…

To both their credits, Wrex and Garrus willingly worked together. They also seemed convinced that she was terrible at driving the Mako. In fairness, it took Cassia half an hour to get used to the controls and even then the Mako jumped around so much Cassia was afraid it would flip over. Plus, there were thresher maws and geth to deal with. The geth, she either hopped out to gun down, or simply ran over, which earned her praise from her adoptive father. The thresher maws were terrifying, although for some strange reason, Wrex enjoyed fighting them.

"These are babies compared to the ones on Tuchanka, Cassia," he said.

Cassia shivered and decided it was just as well she wasn't likely to set foot on Tuchanka, since Wrex wasn't on talking terms with Clan Urdnot for whatever reason. Garrus seemed to agree with her assessment and she heard him mutter "spirits" the first time, they spotted a thresher maw. Cassia was relieved when they finally arrived at the dig site. It was about half an hour of exploring the ruins and fighting geth, before they turned a corner and came across a blue force field that contained an asari that Cassia assumed was Liara.

"Can you hear out there?! I'm trapped; I need help!" Liara's voice sounded hoarse as though she hadn't eaten or drank anything for a while.

"Liara T'Soni I presume," Cassia said. She noted that Liara was wearing some sort of green and white outfit, that while practical attire for excavating ruins, was somewhat form-fitting.

"Thank the goddess!" she exclaimed. "I did not think that anyone would come looking for me. Listen, this thing I'm in is a Prothean security device. I cannot move, so I need you to get me out of it, all right?"

"How did you end up in there?" Cassia asked.

"I was exploring the ruins when the geth showed up," Liara explained. "So, I hid in here. Can you believe that? Geth beyond the Veil! I activated the tower's defenses to stop them; I knew the barrier curtains would keep them out! When I turned them on, I must have hit something I wasn't supposed to. I was trapped in here. You must get me out! Please!"

However, Cassia needed to know what information Liara had about Benezia's alliance with Saren. "Your mother is working with Saren. Whose side are you on?"

Liara looked offended at the accusation. "What?! I'm not on anybody's side. I may be Benezia's daughter, but I'm nothing like her. I've not spoken to her in years! Please, just get me out of here!"

Since she had no reason to lie, Cassia was going to assume that Liara was telling the truth. "We just need to figure out some way past this energy field," Cassia mused. "We'll find some way to free you, Ms. T'Soni."

"There is a control in here that should deactivate this thing," Liara said. "You'll have to find some way past the barrier curtain. That's the tricky part; the defenses cannot be shut off from the outside. I don't know how you'll get in here. Be careful. There is a krogan with the geth; they have been trying different ways to get past the barrier."

Cassia smiled. "Well it's a good thing I've brought my own." Wrex flexed his arms slightly when she said that, clearly eager for a potential fight. "So, team?" she inquired. "Do either of you possess a brilliant plan to free our asari friend?"

Wrex grinned in excitement. "I would guess that that mining laser over would work perfectly."

"All right then," she said. "Let's get to work."

As it turned out, the mining laser easily blasted through the area below the barrier curtain. It took some crawling for Wrex to fit through the hole created, but Garrus and Cassia managed it easily. To say Liara was shocked to see them on the other side of the curtain was an understatement. After Cassia released the controls, the young asari landed on her feet, but wobbled slightly which worried Cassia. Carrying her meant one of her team would be unable to fight. At the same time, she refused to leave Liara behind.

"Any idea about how we're getting out of here?" Garrus interjected, interrupting Cassia's musings.

"There is an elevator back at the center of the tower," Liara said. "At least…. I think it's an elevator. It should take us out of here. Come on!"

Cassia was perfectly happy to get out of here as fast as possible. She also felt sorry for Liara, who appeared to be a little out of her depth. "Why would the geth come after me?" she asked. "Do you think Benezia's involved?"

"Well it's kind of a long story, but it has something to do with the Conduit," Garrus explained patiently. "Speaking of which, what do you know about the Conduit?"

"The Conduit? But I don't…"

Before the asari could finish speaking, Cassia felt a deep rumble coming from somewhere in the cave. Rocks were falling hard not far from their position in manner similar to a cave-in.

"Spirits! I don't like the sound of that!" Garrus exclaimed.

"These ruins are not stable," Liara said. "That mining laser you used must have triggered a seismic event. We have to hurry; the whole place is caving in."

With that confirmation of her worst fears, Cassia switched on her communications link to Joker. "Joker, get the _Normandy_ airborne and lock in on to my signal. On the double mister!"

Fortunately, Joker was sitting at his end of the link. "Aye, aye Commander. Secure and away. ETA, eight minutes."

"That might not be fast enough," Garrus muttered, as the elevator whirled upwards to the surface entrance. As they arrived at the top, Cassia could see the tunnel leading up to the surface. Unfortunately, the krogan mercenary blocked their path, flanked by the geth. With this new threat, Cassia was relieved that she'd brought Wrex along, especially if the other krogan turned out to be a Battlemaster.

"Surrender!" the krogan yelled. "Or don't. That would be more fun."

While Cassia knew he probably wasn't going to take her up on her offer, she figured it couldn't hurt to follow Anderson's advice of giving people the benefit of the doubt, even a mercenary in league with Saren. "In case you didn't notice, this place is falling apart."

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" the krogan said. "Thanks for getting rid of those energy fields for us. Hand the doctor over."

Surprising, Liara was strong enough to spit out, "Whatever it is you want, you're not getting it from me!"

"She'll stay with us, thanks," Cassia spat back.

"Not an option," said the krogan. "Saren wants her, and what Saren wants, he gets. Kill them. Spare the asari if you can. If not, it doesn't matter."

With that, the krogan blasted Cassia knocking her over. Fortunately, Wrex came to her rescue, blasting the other krogan back and giving Cassia time to get back up. She jumped to her feet and noted that Liara was collapsed on the ground, while Garrus was working to take down the geth. Wrex was handling himself well against the other krogan, so Cassia chose to leave him to it, and assist Garrus in taking down the other geth. A quick biotic throw, and one of the geth was smashed to tiny pieces against the wall. When the last geth fell, Cassia turned to face the krogan, only to realize that Wrex was moving in for the final shot and she knew her adoptive father wouldn't appreciate it if she "stole" his kill, so she waited until he made his final shot into the krogan's skull. Even then, it was almost a minute before the krogan stopped twitching.

The foursome ran to the entrance, which was covered in an energy field that took several seconds far too long for Cassia's liking to open. Worse still, Cassia could now see rocks falling through the tunnel. Rocks that were small, more like the size of baseballs, but could easily kill considering the fast speeds they traveled at. She ran with the rest of the group, hoping they would somehow survive this hell. "Move!" she yelled as they ran up the ramps and finally after what felt like an eternity, emerged into the outside, with the _Normandy_ ready to pick them up. After they got back on board and through the de-contamination, Cassia debated whether to shower up, and decided against it. After all, she needed to have a debriefing while Liara was still awake and alert enough to answer questions.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please read and review.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own _Mass Effect_.

Chapter Seven

While Garrus understood Shepard's reasoning that they needed to debrief Liara, before the asari fell asleep from exhaustion, it was a bit discomforting to unable to shower after getting dirt and grime on his armor. At least working with Wrex wasn't as terrible as he thought would be, even though the maverick krogan threw out a pointless question about who would win in a fight between Garrus and Shepard.

When Garrus entered the circular conference room, he observed that everyone else was already seated while Liara stood in the center of the circle. In spite of her connections to Benezia, Garrus felt a bit sorry for Liara, since he knew from personal experience that debriefing was rarely fun. Finding out that your mother was working with a rogue Spectre probably made things worse.

"Too close Commander," Joker complained. "Ten more seconds and we would have been swimming in molten sulfur. The _Normandy_ isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull, just for future reference."

"We almost died out there and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara asked.

"Joker pulled our asses out of there," Shepard pointed out. "I think he's earned the right to a few bad jokes."

"I see," Liara said. "It must be a human thing. I don't have a lot of experience dealing with your species Commander, but I am grateful to you. You saved my life back there. And not just from the volcano. Those geth would have killed me or dragged me off to Saren."

"What did Saren want with you?" Kaidan asked. "Do you know something about the conduit?"

"Only that it was somehow connected to the Prothean extinction," Liara replied. "That is my real area of expertise. I have spent the past fifty years trying to figure out what happened to them."

While Garrus was aware that asari lived for hundreds of years and that fifty years would be a short time span for them, he still was somewhat impressed that T'Soni managed to focus her studies for half a century.

"Just how old are you exactly?" Shepard asked.

"I hate to admit it, but I am only one hundred and six," Liara said.

"Damn! I hope I look that good when I'm your age," Ashley joked.

"A century may seem like a short time to a short-lived species like yours, but among the asari I am barely considered more than a child," Liara explained. "That is why my research has not received the attention it deserves. Because of my youth other asari scholars tend to dismiss my theories on what happened to the Protheans."

"I've got my own theory on why the Protheans disappeared," Shepard stated, and Garrus envied her certainty.

"With all due respect Commander, I have heard every theory out there. The problem is finding enough evidence to support them. The Protheans left remarkably little behind. It is almost as if someone didn't want the mystery solved. It is like someone came along after the Protheans were gone, and cleansed the galaxy of clues. But here is the incredible part. According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysterious vanish. This cycle began long before them." Now that Liara was focused on something she comprehended, she seemed to relax and appear a bit more at ease.

"Where did you come up with this theory? I thought there wasn't any evidence," Shepard inquired.

"I have been working on this for fifty years. I have tracked down every scrap and shred of evidence," Liara replied. "Eventually, subtle patterns start to emerge. Patterns that hint at the truth. It is difficult to explain to someone else. I cannot point to one specific thing to prove my case. It is more a feeling derived from a half-century of research. But I know I'm right, and eventually I will be able to prove it. There were other civilizations before the Protheans; this cycle has repeated itself many times over."

"If the Protheans weren't the first, then who was?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know," Liara admitted. "There is barely any evidence on the Protheans, even less on those who came before them. I cannot prove my theory, but I know I am right. The galaxy is built on a cycle of extinctions. Each time a great civilization rises up, it is suddenly and violently cast down. Only ruins survive. The Protheans rose up from a single world until their empire spread across the known galaxy. Yet even they climbed to the top from the remains of those who came before. Their greatest achievements: The Mass Relays and the Citadel, are based on the technology of those who came before them. And then like all the other forgotten civilizations throughout galactic history, the Protheans disappeared. I have dedicated my life to figuring out why."

"They were wiped out by a race of sentient machines, the Reapers," Shepard explained, bringing the young asari up to speed with the intel the rest of the crew already knew about.

"The Reapers?" Liara sounded genuinely confused. "But I've never heard of…. how do you know this? What evidence do you have?"

"There was a damaged Prothean beacon on Eden Prime," Shepard replied. "It burned a vision into my brain. I'm still trying to sort out what it all means."

"Visions," Liara mused. "Yes, that makes sense. The beacons were designed to transmit information directly into the mind of the user. Finding one that still works is extremely rare. No wonder the geth attacked Eden Prime. The chance to acquire a working beacon, even a badly damaged one is worth any risk. But the beacons were programmed to only work with Prothean physiology. Whatever information you received would have been confused, unclear. I am amazed that you were able to make sense of it at all. A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed by the process. You must be remarkably strong willed, Commander."

"This isn't helping us find Saren or the Conduit," Kaidan interjected.

"Of course, you are right," Liara said. "I'm sorry, my scientific curiosity got the better of me. Unfortunately, I do not have any information that could help you find the Conduit or Saren."

"I don't know why Saren wanted you out of the picture," Shepard said. "But I think we'll be a lot better off if we bring you along."

"Thank you, Commander," Liara said. "Saren might come after me again, and I cannot think of anywhere safer than on your ship. And my knowledge of the Protheans might be useful later on."

"And her biotics will come in handy when the fighting starts," Wrex added.

"Good to have you on the team Liara," Shepard stated with a smile.

"Thank you, Commander, I am very grate…...oh, I am afraid I am feeling a little light headed." Liara did look a bit unsteady on her feet.

"When was the last time you ate, or slept?" Kaidan asked. "Doctor Chakwas should take a look at you."

"It's just mental exhaustion from learning the Prothean's true fate," Liara replied. "Still I suppose it wouldn't hurt to be examined by a medical professional. It will give me the chance to think things over. Are we finished here Commander?"

"We can talk again after you've seen the doctor," Shepard stated gently. "The rest of you, dismissed."

As the group filed out, Garrus noted that T'Soni was clearly enamored of her rescuer. He didn't envy Commander Shepard, who would need to sort it out without upsetting the young asari. In fact, perhaps it was just as well that he was currently single. It was safer and simpler.

…

Liara admitted to herself after Doctor Chakwas examined her and prescribed food and bed rest that she was glad she'd acquiesced to the lieutenant's suggestion. The food, a light salad with some kind of vinaigrette, was sublime, but it did the job of filling her stomach. She still felt embarrassed for passing out in the midst of the fight in the ruins. She also was excited to speak with the Commander who did look somewhat familiar.

She heard a knock on the door, and Shepard poked her head in. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"I already finished my salad," Liara said, for lack of anything else to say. "Dr. Chakwas wanted me to eat something light so that I didn't make myself sick."

"That's good," the Commander said. "Actually, I think we might have met before on Elysium."

Liara nodded. "Yes, I thought I'd met you before."

"You gave some good advice," Shepard uttered. "It thanks to what you said that I ended up enlisting in the Alliance military."

Liara blushed, because she was well aware that she wasn't a wise matriarch like her mother. Thankfully, Shepard took pity on her and inquired about her childhood. Liara focused on her upbringing in Thessia, hoping that her attraction wasn't too obvious.

…

When they arrived on Feros, Cassia was relieved that she would have a reprieve from both Liara's blushes, and Alenko's sadness. Moreover, she wanted to see how Tali would do in the field. She'd cautiously decided to bring Williams with her, in spite of the fact that the woman expressed distrust in the non-humans on board. Thankfully, she displayed no animosity towards Tali, and treated the young quarian as if she were a younger sister. Currently Williams was inquiring about quarian poetry.

"There isn't much," Tali admitted. "Most of our poetry mourns the loss of our home world Rannoch and yearns for the day we shall return."

"You know that is kind of sad," Williams replied.

"On the other hand, I'm glad to hear your people haven't given up on reclaiming Rannoch," Cassia interjected. "It's like that poem by Dylan Thomas. 'Do not go gentle into that good night. Old age should burn and rave at the close of day; rage, rage against the dying of the light.' It means you keep fighting, even if the situation seems hopeless."

"I didn't know you enjoyed poetry Commander," Williams said with a smile.

"We may have to discuss our favorite sometime Chief," Cassia suggested, relieved that she finally found some common ground with the younger woman. "Off duty, of course."

As she began to chat with one of the locals, Cassia prayed to whatever was out there, that the investigation on Feros would go smoothly. Unfortunately, whatever deity that heard her prayer possessed a twisted sense of humour.

…

"Shit!" Ashley Williams swore as she and Tali were now cornered by a group of brainwashed Feros colonists. "We're almost out of grenades!"

 _"And I once believed that 'brainwashing' only happened in those wild science fiction vids Dad was fond,"_ she thought. Sadly, the overused trope escaped from the confines of fiction and into their crappy reality.

"Do you have any suggestions that don't involve killing them?" Tali inquired, her voice wavering slightly. In spite of being a quarian, Tali's gentle personality was strangely endearing and Ash felt as protective of the quarian as she did of her sisters.

"Let's knock them out with a punch," Ashley suggested.

"Won't that cause brain damage?" Tali asked.

Ashley shook her head to discharge the dark images conjured by her mind. She'd never been an optimist, and her imagination possessed the ability to dream up the worst scenarios possible. "At least they'll be alive," she replied.

Tali nodded, as the brainwashed group came within range of their fists. "Hopefully our kinetic barriers will hold out."

…

Cassia swore under her breath as Tali and Williams finally caught up with her. Everything has gone to hell in a handbasket, and she struggles not to lash out her team. After all, it's not their fault that the Thorian creature is controlling the colonists.

Just then, a frantic communication comes in from Joker with no witty quips. "I repeat, Normandy to shore party! Are you reading? Anyone there? Normandy to shore party. Come on Commander, talk to me!"

"Is that you Joker?" Cassia inquired. "What's going on over there?"

"We're in lockdown here, Commander," Joker replied as he struggled to stay calm and composed. "Something happened to the colonists. They're banging on the hull, trying to claw their way inside the ship. They're freaking out!"

"They can't do any real damage," Cassia said, wishing that she could go back and assist the rest of her crew. Hopefully, she can fix this, before her ship get torn to pieces. "We're on our way back. Just hold your position."

"Uh…yeah. Okay. Well, we'll just wait right here for you, Commander."

"This place will be crawling with geth in a minute," Cassia explained. "Keep together and we'll get out of here in one piece."

And right on cue, Lizbeth Baynham appeared before them, looking in excellent shape apart from a couple of bruises on her face. "There you are. We should get out of here. I don't think this place is safe."

"I need some answers. You knew more about the Thorian then you let on," Cassia pointed out, hoping that this woman will have a way to stop the Thorian without harming the colonists.

"I…. I was afraid. I wanted to stop the tests, but they threatened me, told me I'd be next. When the geth attacked, I stayed behind to send a message to Colonial Affairs. I tried to tell them where to find the Thorian, but the power cut before I could send the message. I…I never meant for this to happen."

"You did what you could," Cassia soothed. "I'll help them if you can tell me where to find the Thorian."

"The Thorian is underneath Zhu's Hope, but the entrance is blocked," Lizbeth explained. "The colonists covered it with the freighter just before the geth attacked."

And of course, Joker checked in to report that a group of geth were headed in their direction. After plowing through the geth, they arrived in time to view Lizbeth's mother complaining about Ethan did. And of course, Lizbeth stepped in before they could coordinate an ambush.

"Damn it!" Ethan screamed. "Come out where I can see you! All of you!"

When they finally emerged, Ethan launched diatribe against Cassia, how she couldn't win like she did on Elysium.

"What is going on Ethan?" she asked.

"ExoGeni wants this place purged," he replied.

"This is a human colony Jeong," Lizbeth protested. "You can't just repurpose us."

"There's something far more valuable than just a few colonists," Ethan said, laughing.

"Are you going to tell them about the Thorian or should I?" Cassia inquired.

"The what?" Juliana asked.

"It's a lifeform under Zhu's Hope that's taken control of the colonists. ExoGeni knew all along."

"You won't get away with this Jeong," Juliana declared.

"Nobody's going to care about a few missing colonists!" Ethan spat.

"This ends now!" Cassia declared, shooting Ethan dead before he can harm anyone else. Thankfully, his lackeys see reason and surrender. Now all that's left is taking care of the Thorian and Cassia can finally return to the _Normandy_.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to finish this chapter, since I've been battling writer's block.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Mass Effect_ , which is owned by Bioware.

Chapter Eight

Garrus was as humans liked to say "pissed off". No, pissed off didn't even begin to cover the depth of his ire right now. He couldn't believe the events that unfolded just now. "Commander, you just allowed a terrorist to escape capture and continue his rampage throughout the galaxy!"

"We saved the hostages Vakarian," she pointed out calmly. "Moreover, now the Alliance is aware of Balak's existence and can work to apprehend him."

"That doesn't change the fact that you allowed a murderer to escape!" He was yelling at his commanding officer, and Garrus couldn't tell why this hurt more than the other times a commanding officer made a decision he personally disagreed with. Maybe, it was because a part of him was starting to idolize Shepard, or maybe it was because she was unlike any human he'd met before.

"That was completely out of line Vakarian!" Commander Shepard said. "As a result, I'm putting you on suspension from any further missions, until you decide to explain what exactly is upsetting you."

With that, the Commander took off for her own quarters, leaving Garrus standing there with Liara, who of course took the Commander's side of the argument given her infatuation. By the time, Garrus went down to the mess hall to eat, word has already spread around about his demotion. Both Liara and Kaidan pointedly ignored him, while Joker attempted to defuse the tension with a cliché comment that no one found amusing. At least, the dextro food was somewhat decent.

Just then, Ashley Williams plopped down next to him. "So, how's your food?"

"It's fine," Garrus replied, uncertain as to why the one member of the _Normandy_ who made her prejudice against turians loud and clear was making small talk with him.

"Look, I won't pretend that I understand what's going on between you and the Commander, but I do know a thing or two about putting one's foot in their mouth," Ashley said.

"What?" Garrus asked, the human idiom only confusing him further.

"I meant that I know what it's like to say speak rashly and say rude things," Ashley explained. "If you want my advice, apologize to the Commander, and explain your perspective on what happened with the asteroid. It won't get you reinstated, but it might convince her fan club to back off a bit."

So, he wasn't the only one aware of Kaidan and Liara's crushes on Shepard.

"You know that is a good idea," Garrus said. "Thanks for the advice Williams."

Ashley actually smiled and for a moment Garrus felt a sense of comradery with the woman. "No problem Vakarian."

Garrus found his heart kept pounding like one of those drums humans liked to play as he walked up to Shepard's quarters. When he knocked, the door sprang back, and Shepard poked her head out with her red hair loose instead of pulled into a bun. Garrus thought it looked nicer when it was free, before reminding himself that he needed to focus on the conversation and not on the Commander's hair, even it did look lovely.

"So, what exactly are you here for Vakarian?" she asked.

"I'm here to apologize Commander," he replied. "What I said was completely out of line. I guess I'm not a very good turian. And what happened with Balak brought back some…less than pleasant memories."

"What kind of memories?" she asked gently, and he found himself telling her about Dr. Saleon.

Shepard asked very few questions, but seemed troubled about his need to bring down Dr. Saleon at the cost of the hostages. "You can't control the actions of others," she pointed out. "You can only control your own."

"I guess I can see your point," Garrus said. "But it still didn't make the situation any less frustrating."

"You're still suspended, but I'll see about getting T'Soni and Alenko to back off on their campaign," she said.

As the Commander walked away, Garrus wondered why he noticed how well-formed Shepard's hips were.

…

Cassia Shepard cursed lightly under her breath as ducked for cover behind a couple of crates. After her adoptive father revealed that he'd located his family's ancestral armor, it seemed only fitting that she should help him track it down. Unfortunately, the group of mercenaries guarding the compound were numerous and tough bastards. Only Wrex seemed to be enjoying himself, since the potential recovery of his family armor added a certain spice to the fight.

Cassia blasted one of the mercenaries, a male turian, allowing Tali to finish their opponent off with a shotgun blast. Cassia moved to assist Wrex, but the remaining mercenaries surrendered, clearly less than eager to deal with a krogan Battlemaster. Cassia handed them over to the local authorities, who were eager to charge the group for several crimes committed in this jurisdiction.

Wrex pulled the rusted armor which featured the Urdnot family crest embossed on it. "Who knew my ancestors wore such crappy armor?" he joked, the intense fight putting him in a jovial mood.

"Well I'm glad we helped you retrieve it Dad," Cassia said.

"I knew there was a reason I came on this mission," he replied.

While Cassia was happy for her adoptive father, she also felt hot and sweaty from fighting through Tonn's mercenaries. When she headed towards the bathroom to take a shower, Garrus walked alongside her.

"Commander, I have some good news," he said.

"What's that?" she inquired, hoping that the sooner she spoke with Garrus, the sooner she could peel off her sticky armor and take a cool, refreshing shower.

"I've found out some information on where Dr. Saleon is located," Garrus explained. "I told the military, but they didn't believe me."

"Sure, we'll check into it," Cassia said. "You'll be temporarily reinstated for this mission."

With that, she set off for the showers, hoping that Garrus' lead would turn out to be true, since the last thing she wanted was for the headstrong turian to be faced with another dead end.

…

Garrus felt triumph surge through him like a bolt of electricity when he recognized Dr. Saleon. Finally, the doctor would pay for his insidious organ transplant procedures. "That's him Commander," he said. "That's Doctor Saleon."

"What?!" Saleon said, trembling in fear. "My name is Heart, Dr. Heart! Please get me out of here!"

Garrus barely suppressed his rage at the salarian's desperate attempt to escape the justice he very much deserved.

"Are you sure it's him Garrus?" Shepard asked.

"I'm sure of it Shepard," Garrus declared. "There's no escape this time Doctor. I'd harvest your organs first, but we don't have the time!"

"You're crazy! He's crazy! Please, don't let him do this to me!"

"We'll take him in, drop him off at the military," Shepard decided.

"But we have him," Garrus protested, feeling the red tape tightening its grip on him like a constricting snake. "We can't let him get away, not again!"

"If we kill him, we won't ever learn how he did all this," Shepard pointed out. "We'll take him in, interrogate him, and he'll serve his time."

He hated it, but she did have a point. "You're right. You are a very lucky salarian. You owe the commander your life."

Unfortunately, Dr. Saleon decided he didn't want to go to prison and lunged at Shepard, who knocked him back with her biotics. A couple of shots from Garrus and the scientist was dead.

"And so, he dies anyways," Garrus noted. "What was the point of that?"

"You can't predict how people will react Garrus, but you can control how you respond," Cassia replied. "In the end, that's what really matters."

"You know I don't believe I've met someone quite like you Commander," he said, as they headed back to the _Normandy_. While he was happy that Dr. Saleon would no longer harm anyone else, Garrus was surprised that he genuinely enjoyed working with Commander Shepard even if they didn't always agree on how things should be done. Maybe Solana was right to admire the Commander.

…

It was a pity that they were only going to Virmire to investigate the distress call of the STG team, because Virmire was a tropical paradise, not dissimilar from some islands in the Caribbean. She could almost picture herself sitting on a beach chair, sipping a cocktail. The team didn't seem pleased to see them, and the leader, a salarian called Kirrahe muttered words under his breath that Cassia's translator didn't pick up, but were probably curse words. Fortunately, he went into professional mode and explained about the facility.

"Apparently, Saren has discovered a cure for the genophage," Kirrahe said.

Cassia was suddenly aware that Wrex was eyeing the salarian as if he'd just revealed the location of the Fountain of Youth and it turned Cassia's blood to ice. "The geth are bad enough, but a krogan army, he'd be almost unstoppable," she said.

"Exactly my thoughts," Kirrahe said. "We must ensure that this facility and its secrets are destroyed."

"Destroyed? I don't think so," her father said. "Our people are dying. This cure can save them."

"If that cure leaves this planet, the krogan will become unstoppable," Kirrahe said, infuriating Cassia. "We can't make the same mistake again."

"We are not a mistake!" Wrex roared, and Cassia's heart went out to him, because she knew that the genophage was a sore spot for him and she wished she'd never brought him here.

"Is he going to be a problem?" Kirrahe inquired. "My men and I already have enough angry krogan to deal with."

"I'll talk to him," Cassia said, ignoring the cold voice in the back of her head saying that there was no way to fix this and she was going to lose her adoptive father in this tropical paradise that now seemed harsh and alien.

While Tali purchased supplies from the salarian group's quartermaster, Cassia went in search of her adoptive father, who was shooting his gun into the water in anger at her betrayal.

"This isn't right Cassia," Wrex said, staring off into the water. "If there's a cure for the genophage, we can't destroy it."

"Calm down Dad," she said. "I'm not the one you should be mad at. Saren's the one you should be mad at."

"Really? Saren created a cure for my people. You want to destroy as though you don't realize how much the genophage has cost me. Help me out here Shepard. The lines between friend and foe are getting a little blurry from where I'm standing."

"This isn't a cure, it's a weapon," Cassia replied. "And if Saren is around to use it, you won't be around to reap the benefits. None of us will."

"But it's worth the risk to see our people strong again like they were meant to be," Wrex said.

"Yes, the krogan deserve to be strong again, but not like this. Not as slaves to Saren!" Cassia pleaded, desperately hoping that he would see reason. "I swear that I will find a cure for the genophage if it's the last thing I do."

After a couple of tense seconds, her father finally nodded. "You've made your point and I don't like the idea of the krogan being tools again. I'll follow your lead."

Cassia wanted to collapse and sleep after finally talking Wrex down, but they still had a long mission ahead of them. There would be no rest for the wicked, until they had destroyed this facility and ended a potential cure for the genophage, an action that she regretted with every fiber of her being.

…

Kaidan hadn't come to Virmire expecting it to be the last place he'd ever step foot on, no soldier knew when their days were numbered, but now he desperately begged Commander Shepard to choose Ash, who had so much potential if only her commanding officers looked past her family history. He mentally apologized to both his parents who would grieve, but would know that he did his duty to the Alliance until the very end.

"I'm sorry Alenko," Commander Shepard said, finally choosing.

"Don't be Commander, I'm glad to have served with you," Kaidan replied, determined to ensure that the bomb went off at the correct time. He watched as the _Normandy_ flew past him towards Ash's position, and took a brief moment to enjoy the lovely view of the trees, before beginning the detonation process.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter, I got busy getting ready for college.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Mass Effect_.

Chapter Nine

Garrus wasn't surprised that Commander Shepard wasn't very chatty with the crew after this latest mission, especially after Ashley launched into a vicious rant about leaving Kaidan behind. The worst part was, Shepard didn't fight back the way she normally did, which troubled Garrus. After an awkward dinner with silence so complete you could hear a pin drop in the mess hall, Garrus headed down to the cargo bay to clean his rifle. The routine of checking for any damage and making sure the ammo packs were placed correctly was surprisingly soothing to his fragile nerves.

Suddenly, Wrex appeared in the cargo bay, looking uncharacteristically troubled. "Hey, Vakarian!"

"What do you want Wrex?" Garrus asked, since the krogan mercenary tended to avoid him.

"Cassia's locked herself in her room and she won't let me in to talk. I figure since you seem so close to her, maybe you should talk some sense into her."

Garrus was confused for a second until he remembered that Cassia was Shepard's first name. It seemed bizarre and a bit informal to think of her by her given name. "Sure, I'll see what I can do," he said.

That seemed to satisfy Wrex, who left to clean his own weapons, or requisition supplies, or whatever it was he did in his free time. Garrus cautiously made his way to the Commander's cabin, and knocked.

"Go away, Dad!" yelled Shepard, who sounded eerily like the way Garrus felt whenever his mother had to go in for treatments.

"It's me, Garrus," he said.

There was a sigh on the other side, before the door slid open. Shepard was hunched over slightly as though she were about to cave into herself and her blue eyes were rimmed red with tears. "Come on in and make yourself comfortable."

The cabin was fairly spartan in design with a double bed and a small desk with a chair. Garrus sat on the chair, which seemed to be the most professional choice in this situation. Not that anything in this situation was according to regulations.

"I've never sent someone to their death before. I've lost people I've served with, and commanded, but this…this is different."

"Shepard," Garrus said, his own heart breaking, because it hurt to see the Commander so despondent.

"If I could have saved them both, I would have. I wish I could tell Williams that."

"You can," Garrus replied. "Williams knows you had to make a hard choice; she's just upset at the moment."

Suddenly, Shepard lunged forward and hugged him tightly, sobbing. Garrus really wasn't sure what to do in this kind of situation since Solana didn't come talk to him when she was upset, so he just let her continue holding on. "It's going to be ok Shepard."

"Cassia," she corrected. "My name is Cassia."

"Cassia," he said, humoring her. It was strangely intimate to refer to Shepard by her given name, and probably completely against regulations, but that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was that Shepard got all the guilt out of her system.

Finally, her tear ducts dried up and she let go of his torso. "I'm sorry I got your armor all wet, Garrus."

"It's nothing," he said, ignoring her use of his given name.

"I guess I should go apologize to Wrex," she added.

"He'll understand," Garrus replied.

"Hopefully he will," she said, and Garrus took that as his cue to leave. Shepard emerged about an hour later, not looking as though she'd been sobbing her heart out, and immediately got to work preparing Alenko's funeral arrangements, and contacting his relatives. When they docked at Noveria, a couple of days later with him reinstated, Garrus debated on discussing what happened in her cabin, before deciding to put the incident out of his mind. It was just a soldier providing his teammate a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on. Nothing more.

…

Cassia wasn't sure whether to punch Liara or give her some booze. Unfortunately, she wasn't any better at the touchy-feely stuff than Garrus was. "Do you want to talk about your mother? I know it helps to remember the good times," she suggested. That was how it worked with Jake.

Liara shook her head firmly. "No, right now what happened on Noveria is still too close. Actually, I have a question about you and Garrus."

Cassia froze in shock. "Nothing's going on between Garrus and I."

"He comforted you after Virmire," Liara replied. "And on Noveria, you kept glancing at Garrus whenever his back was turned."

"Well, I guess you could say I have feelings for him," Cassia admitted. "However, I doubt those feelings are returned."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Liara said waspishly, perhaps still nursing a bit of a crush on Cassia.

"Besides, I'm human," Cassia pointed out. "I doubt he would ever consider entering a relationship with a human."

With that, Cassia changed the subject to Liara's latest discoveries on the Protheans. The archeologist acquiesced, but clearly hadn't forgotten Cassia's confession.

…

Garrus was relieved that there was some time between them stealing the _Normandy_ and arriving on Ilos, which was apparently where the Conduit was located. That would allow him to send a quick message to Solana, just in case he didn't return. Fortunately, it was currently early afternoon on Palaven, and Solana was home from work, so she answered fairly promptly.

"Garrus Vakarian! Why haven't contacted me you jerk!" she yelled. "I've been so worried!"

"Sorry I haven't spoken to you lately Sol, things have been busy," Garrus said. "I wish I could tell you more, but it's classified. I just wanted to say good-bye just in case I don't make it back!"

"Wait a minute, you can't just not communicate for weeks, and then say something like that!" Solana yelled, rightfully pissed at him.

However, Garrus really didn't have time to be verbally sparring with his sister. He needed to be ready when they arrived at Ilos. "Just tell Mother and Father that I love them if I don't make it back," he said. With that, he hung up, and silently prayed to the spirits, that he would return to his family alive.

…

The Citadel already showed signs of the damage wrought by _Sovereign_ as Cassia fought through the streets alongside Wrex and Ashley. The trip to reach the Council chambers, which normally took twenty minutes at the maximum, took almost an hour. Saren was waiting for them there, and now that Cassia knew about indoctrination, she pitied the turian. Yes, he was a jerk, but no one deserved to be manipulated and controlled the way _Sovereign_ was controlling Saren.

" _Sovereign_ 's controlling you through your implants," Cassia said. "Don't you see that!"

It seemed Saren finally realized the truth. "Maybe your right," he mused. "Maybe there's still time for…." He screamed a yowl that made Cassia flinch. "The implants!" he gasped. "Sovereign is too strong. I'm sorry; it is too late for me."

"It's not over yet," Cassia asserted. "You can still redeem yourself."

"Good-bye Shepard," Saren said. "Thank you." With that, the rogue Spectre put his pistol to his head and fired. Blue blood sprayed from his temple and Saren fell off his hover board, breaking the glass floor below them.

As she approached the console, Cassia now had a choice. Save the _Destiny Ascension_ or focus on protecting the Citadel. There wasn't much of a choice. "Move in and save the _Destiny Ascension_."

"I hope you know what you're doing Cassia," Wrex commented.

"So, do I," Cassia admitted to her adoptive father before relaying her orders. "So, do I."

…

It was weird to be viewed as a celebrity for Garrus, especially in light of his abysmal C-Sec record. The victory party at one of the Citadel's upscale bars was lovely, especially since Solana took a break from her job to see him.

"I'm so proud of you Garrus," she said, sipping her dextro drink. "So's Mom."

"What about Dad?" he inquired, knowing that his father didn't approve of Spectres, and still resenting the time his father blocked his son's invitation to train for the Spectres.

"You know he's glad you helped save the Council," Solana replied. "And he wonders what you're going to do next."

"I'm just glad that it's all over," he replied, attempting to not think about the potential threat of the Reapers. As he watched Solana saunter over to greet Cassia, he didn't realize that this bubble of happiness he'd constructed for himself, wasn't going to last.

…

Normally, Wrex found battle exhilarating, but this was different, because they were sitting ducks for whatever the hell was attacking them. The words he'd said to Vakarian all those weeks ago came back to haunt him, "if those new techniques don't work then we're salvage." It was also the first time he wished he was wrong about them being up the creek without a paddle, as Cassia would say. Speaking of Vakarian, Wrex wished the turian opted to stay with the _Normandy_ like he and Liara had.

"I've got the distress beacon ready for all the good it will do us," Wrex said, as his adoptive daughter approached.

"The Alliance won't forget about us," Cassia asserted.

"I'm not denying that, but shouting in a remote vacuum isn't going do us any fucking good," Wrex replied.

It was a bad sign that Cassia wasn't lecturing him on his foul language. Just then, Liara burst in the room, terrified. "It's Joker, he won't abandon ship," she said. "And neither will I."

"No!" Cassia yelled. "I need you to help Williams with the evacuation. I'll get Joker."

Liara blanched, but her bravado crumbled into terror, and she darted off. He didn't blame T'Soni, who for all her fighting experience, was green when it came to dealing with situations like this.

Unfortunately, Cassia took one look at his expression and said, "No Dad."

"Which of us has redundant organs?" Wrex argued.

"And which of us needs to help Dr. Chakwas keep everyone calm," Cassia countered.

"I'm not leaving my own daughter behind!" Wrex yelled, his anger hiding the genuine fear that he was going to lose Cassia.

"This isn't a request Urdnot Wrex, it's a damned order!" she yelled back.

Damn Cassia. She knew he would respond to a direct order from his superior, even if that superior was his own daughter. Afterwards, he would relive this scenario many times, and wrestle with whether he could have talked his daughter out of playing hero.

…

His head felt like it had been split open by a saw and his eyes were blinded by a bright light. Garrus could only remember pieces of yesterday, which was Shepard's, no _**Cassia's**_ funeral. Tali was able to come back from the Migrant Fleet for the funeral, and she sat next to Ash, who was putting on a brave face. Garrus had no idea if Williams had made up with Cassia before…. Liara was sobbing quietly, while Wrex looked like he wanted to punch everyone out. Joker sat away from the others, his crutches in a pile. With the way Joker was already beating himself up about being responsible for Cassia's death, Garrus couldn't bring himself to be angry at him. Anderson had given a eulogy that was nice, if a bit cliché. After that, Garrus remembered leaving the small reception for a bar.

Suddenly, a large krogan hand offered him a glass filled with some kind of levo drink. It smelled like rotten eggs, and Garrus pitied anyone who ingested it. "Here Vakarian," Wrex said. "The galaxy's best cure for hangovers."

"Sorry, I can't drink that unless I want to be poisoned," Garrus replied, both touched and confused. He didn't think he and Wrex were drinking buddies normally. Then again, there was nothing normal about this situation.

"Whoops I forgot about the dextro thing," Wrex said, before gulping down the drink himself.

Now that Garrus' eyes had adjusted, he recognized that he must be in Wrex's hotel room, on the bed. He moved his legs off the side of the bed, and was relieved to discover that he wasn't too dizzy. Now he just need a glass of water for his headache and maybe some medicine.

"What happened last night?" Garrus asked.

"I found you in Chora's Den and we both got drunk," Wrex said with a matter of fact tone. "After you almost got into a fight, I helped you walk back here, and you passed out on the bed. Don't worry, I slept on the sofa bed."

Garrus didn't know what to say. "Thank you."

Wrex shrugged. "Cassia wouldn't forgive me if anything bad happened to you."

Cassia again. It hurt more to think about her, than the hangover from getting drunk on all those mixed drinks had. Garrus couldn't think about her without beating himself up for not realizing what was right in front of him. He'd harbored feelings for Cassia beyond friendship and now it was far too late.

Author's Note: In the next chapter I will be bridging the gap between Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: So, here's chapter ten which bridges this story to Mass Effect 2.

Content warning: some internalized biphobia

Disclaimer: You all know the drill. I don't own _Mass Effect_.

Chapter Ten

After Vakarian staggered out of his hotel room, Wrex flopped on the bed, barely resisting the urge to utterly demolish the room with his biotics. He didn't need to provide compensation to the hotel on top of his other issues. Cassia was dead, and to add insult to injury, the Council and the Alliance were already dismissing her evidence about the Reapers as the ramblings of a crazy woman. He didn't even know why he'd rescued Vakarian from engaging in that bar fight. Maybe because, Cassia would have wanted him to. Moreover, it had been nice to become intoxicated with someone else who comprehended his grief.

Now for the first time in his long life, Urdnot Wrex was uncertain as to what he should do now. Going back to being a mercenary didn't hold the allure it once possessed. He also couldn't bring himself to return to the ship where he raised his adoptive daughter; the memories were far too strong.

Just then, a loud knock sounded on the door, interrupting his musings.

"Yes! Who is it?!" he roared, annoyed the pathetic pyjak ignored the "Do Not Disturb" sign he'd placed on the door knob.

"I've got an important message," the voice on the other side said nervously, and part of Wrex almost felt sorry for whoever pulled the short straw and was required to disturb the ruthless krogan Battlemaster.

He pulled himself off the bed with a groan; his head still pounding from a hangover in spite of ingesting the krogan equivalent to hair of the dog. The brunette hotel maid bounced between the balls of her feet anxiously, holding an envelope. Wrex was intrigued, since typically messages were send on data pads in order to not waste paper.

Dear Dad,

If you're reading this, I've died. Don't blame yourself what happened; I made my own choices. Just promise that you will do what you can to reform the krogan clans. I know you would make an amazing leader. You just need to believe in yourself. I already do.

Love,

Cassia

Fuck! Now, that he knew Cassia's wishes, he couldn't ignore them, as much as he was wary of returning to Tuchanka. He would reform the krogan clans, and make Cassia proud of him.

…

The docking station was disreputable, with a cluster of beggars huddling together for warmth, and several shady characters who would relish robbing her blind. Liara hoped that her contact was trustworthy, but a part of her doubted it and was tempted to call the whole thing off.

 _"You can't back out now,"_ she told herself. _"This your only chance of saving Cassia."_

After several more agonizing minutes, a hooded figure approached her. Liara could only discern that the figure was human and a woman. "How do you get past the dog who guards the Underworld?" the figure inquired casually.

"You feed him honey cakes," Liara replied, echoing the standard response to Cerberus' code. As much she despised working with Cerberus, they were the only powerful organization willing to indulge in her notion that Cassia could still be alive. The woman beckoned to her, and Liara reluctantly followed into down an alleyway, and into a small apartment after the woman produced a key and unlocked the door. The windows were covered by blackout curtains and the only illumination was one tiny lamp.

Only then, did the woman remove her hood revealing a lovely face encircled by long, raven black hair. Liara barely suppressed the urge to blush; she had a mission to accomplish and couldn't afford to be distracted by a pretty face.

"So, I hear you're looking for Commander Shepard's body?" the woman said.

Liara nodded, not trusting her voice to betray her fear.

"I'm Operative Lawson," the woman introduced herself. "This data pad contains all the intel we have on the whereabouts of Commander Shepard, as well as a first aid kit, and a small amount of cash. I'm afraid you'll largely be on your own for this one."

"That's ok Ms. Lawson," Liara replied, relieved this intimidating woman wasn't insisting on accompanying her. "I'm better at working on my own anyways."

Operative Lawson gave Liara a curt nod of respect, perhaps reassessing her thoughts on Liara's capabilities. "Still, if you find yourself in a tight jam, don't hesitate to call this number. I will try to assist you."

…

Garrus slammed his talon into the wall of his apartment, and barely felt the pain. Yet another criminal mastermind eluded him, and no one else in C-Sec seemed to care. Cassia believed that he could do better, but she was dead, and the Council was quick to dismiss her evidence of the Reapers. Solana attempted to encourage him to continue, but she was too far away and busy tending to their mother, who in and out of the hospital for treatments. And his father was too quick to believe the Council's version of events.

That was when the idea hit him. He could travel to Omega, where most of the criminals on the Citadel received funding and illegal goods from. Yes, the idea sounded better and better the more Garrus thought about it. So, he sent his resignation letter to C-Sec, and booked a one-way ticket to Omega. He just hoped that wherever Cassia was, she would understand his decision.

…

Liara swore as she struggled to break the handcuffs with her biotics. It was just convenient that the moment her ally Feron disappeared, she was captured by the Shadow Broker, who apparently planned to sell Shepard's body to the Collectors. And of course, her com was taken from her, so she couldn't call Operative Lawson for help.

Just as she managed to break apart her handcuffs with a sickening crunch, Feron reappeared.

"Are you, all right? Did they hurt you?" he inquired.

However, Liara wasn't as quick to trust him this time around. "How in the name of the Goddess did you know when the Shadow Broker's agents were going to capture us? Unless you really work for him!"

Feron nodded. "I'm sorry, but I didn't realize what he was planning to your friend's body until recently. I'll help you."

"Fine, but if you make one wrong step, I'll snap you in two," Liara said.

Feron didn't take her threats of bodily harm personally. "Fair enough," he replied as they set off. The walked down a long corridor and approached a door with a combination that Feron thankfully.

"This should be the container," Feron said.

In spite of her curiosity, Liara struggled to open the case. Would she find just a skeleton or just dust? Just as she pushed the lid off, revealing Cassia's surprisingly intact body, alarms began to blare.

"Fuck!" Feron swore. "Now they're on to us!"

Liara carefully picked up Cassia, and raced down the corridor beside Feron. Unfortunately, they didn't get far before they were cornered.

Feron stepped up. "Go! I'll hold them off!"

"But they'll kill you!" Liara hissed, afraid of losing yet another friend.

"Just complete the mission and don't let Shepard fall into the hands of the Collectors!" Feron declared.

Liara turned then and ran, leaving Feron behind to cover her escape from the Shadow Broker's mercenaries.

…

Miranda cursed under her breath as she waited for the shuttle containing a certain asari to arrive. Missions for Cerberus were usually straight forward and this endeavor to recover Shepard's body and resurrect her was anything but simple. Moreover, she found herself strangely attracted to Liara, with her lovely curves and determined smile. She wasn't supposed to feel this way, and Miranda worked to push back the wrong thoughts from her mind. It was difficult, but she managed it.

Finally, the miniscule shuttle arrived and Liara stepped out. She seemed exhausted, as though one small breeze would cause her body to cave in on itself. A part of Miranda felt guilty for sending Liara on such a dangerous mission all by herself, but she pushed those emotions aside. She couldn't afford to let sentiment cloud her mind; not now, when she needed to work on bringing back Shepard.

"I'm glad you made it back safely T'Soni," she said, keeping her expression neutral.

"Sadly, Feron didn't make it," Liara replied.

Miranda wanted to say she was sorry or offer to help rescue Feron. However, that would be unprofessional, so instead she said, "At least you managed to complete the mission, and prevent the Collectors from taking Shepard's body."

Liara managed a thin smile. "Yes, I suppose I did."

…

Cassia didn't remember much when she finally came to. Just a warm light and a feeling of infinite peace. Nothing here was peaceful; her entire body was enveloped with pain and she couldn't even move her hands or neck. Cassia despised the state she was in and wanted to go back to the light where she was warm and safe, but she couldn't.

Suddenly, a bald man with small clusters of mousy brown hair on either side of his head and a pale skinned, raven haired woman appeared in her vision. Even though she was a stranger, there was something inherently soothing about the black-haired woman.

"She's awake already," the woman said with worry. "It's too soon. She hasn't finished healing."

"That's impossible!" the man declared. "I gave her enough sedative considering her body mass index and weight."

"Well give her more before she gives herself a heat attack!" the woman spat, as she gently grasped one of Cassia's hands. Under different circumstances, she would have been infuriated by the woman's proprietary actions, but with the pain she was now suffering, Cassia was grateful that someone had her back.

"Her heart rates going through the charts," the man said.

"Shepard," the woman said soothingly. "I know you're in a lot of pain right now, but I need you to calm down. Everything's going to be all right."

Cassia tried to calm her heart and ignore the pain. After several excruciating seconds, the pain began to dull and she found herself becoming woozy.

"There," the man said, with a small measure of relief. "Her heart rate's returning back down to normal levels."

Cassia wanted to inquire where she was, and the location of the rest of her crew, but the black waters pulled her down into dreamless sleep. After what seemed like only a few minutes, sirens blared into her ears. She still felt pain in her side, but it was more manageable. Reluctantly, she peeled her eyelids open, and noted that she was in a medical lab currently facing some sort of disaster if the flashing lights were anything to go by.

"Shepard!" the woman's voice yelled via an intercom. "You need to get up now! This facility is under attack!"

Ok, she got the memo. As Cassia moved her legs to the side of the bed, she winced. Clearly, she wasn't fully healed. It took her a couple of minutes to push off the bed utilizing her arms, and letting out a loud yowl.

"Look Shepard, I know you aren't fully healed yet," the woman said. "But I can't get to you through all these forces. There's a gun in the crate next door, and a data pad with a map of the facility."

Once she acquired the gun, Cassia discovered that after a couple of false starts that fighting her opponents was simple. Suddenly, a brown skinned human jumped in and assisted her. In spite of his Cerberus uniform, Cassia decided not to look a gift in the mouth.

When the man (who introduced himself as Jacob) attempted to explain of his affiliation with a known terrorist group, Cassia held up a hand. "Next time you want to conceal whom you're working with, you shouldn't wear their crest on your uniform," she said.

Jacob flushed scarlet. "You might have a point there," he admitted sheepishly.

The other man, whom Jacob informed her was named Wilson joined them, and Cassia struggled with mixed feelings towards both of them. On one hand, they were part of a human supremacy group. On the other hand, they had brought her back to life.

"We're almost there," Wilson said, when he noticed that Cassia was panting. He fiddled with door controls, which slid open to reveal the raven-haired woman.

"Miranda!" he gasped, not expecting this woman to show up. "Are you supposed to be…?"

He didn't even complete his sentence before Miranda shot his in the head.

Jacob groaned. "Was that really necessary?!" he yelled.

"He sabotaged the project and he tried to murder me," Miranda countered.

While Cassia was somewhat bothered by Miranda callously killing this man in spite of his perfidy, she decided to focus on more important issues instead of dwelling on what had been done. "Do you think there might be other survivors?" she asked.

Miranda shook her head. "I doubt it, since this is the sole evacuation point."

"Fine, then let's leave," Cassia said. "I've seen enough of this station to last for me for a life time."

She didn't like having to follow Cerberus, but Cassia knew since she wasn't at full strength she wasn't a match for Jacob and Miranda. Therefore, she would play along and jump through the hoops Cerberus wanted her to jump through. At least, for now she would.

…

Miranda wasn't sure how she felt about this assignment, considering that Cassia Shepard clearly distrusted them both. She was polite, but seemed wary of letting her guard down, and Miranda noted that the woman got by on the smallest amount of sleep she could while still functioning well. At least, Jacob would hopefully convince her to continue working with them. Jacob's sunny demeanor was good for new recruits; it had even resulted in a brief, if extremely inappropriate, relationship. She knew they needed all the luck they could get if they were all to make it through this mission alive.

Author's Note: Miranda's negative thoughts will be explained later on.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updating this fic.

Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own _Mass Effect_. This is owned by Bioware and EA.

Chapter Eleven

After her briefing with Illusive Man, Cassia decided that she was as unimpressed with Cerberus as she was before. However, it would be a headache to investigate the disappearance of the human colonies while running from Cerberus. She would play along for now, but once they solved the mystery of the missing colonists Cassia planned to ditch Cerberus.

She didn't know what to make of her two human companions. Jacob was surprisingly friendly, and wasn't anti-alien. As for Miranda, while the woman had initially been frosty when they first met, she'd been willing to answer some questions as to why she'd joined Cerberus. However, Cassia had a feeling that there was something more to Miranda's backstory, and hopefully she would uncover it soon.

Now would be an excellent time to catch up with Joker, and Chakwas. She was still getting used to the new _Normandy_ 's layout and she found herself desperately missing the SR-1. Moreover, the AI made her antsy since most of her experiences with AIs had been negative. However, she was willing to give EDI the benefit of the doubt. Thankfully, Joker seemed pleased to see her if a bit reluctant to answer her queries as to why he was now working with a terrorist organization.

"Well I'm glad to have you back at the helm," Cassia said. "I need people I trust to watch my back, especially with Cerberus around."

Joker winced, not entirely over what happened the last time they been in a cockpit. Cassia decided not to bring it up, and they ended up discussing what happened to the rest of the crew in the two years she'd been absent. She was proud that Tali was able to return from her pilgrimage and earned a place aboard a ship in the fleet. Ashley was not surprisingly still with the Alliance and finally earned a promotion. Her adoptive father had returned to Tuchanka and was attempting to re-unify the krogan clans. Cassia hoped he would succeed and made a mental note to drop by for a visit. Liara was now working for the Shadow Broker which surprised Cassia. She'd hoped her friend would be able to continue her research on the Protheans. Unfortunately, there was no information of Garrus, who seemed to have disappeared off the radar. Cassia attempted to reassure herself that no news was good news, but she still felt a quiver in her spine that the turian whom she'd unintentionally fallen in love with was for all intents and purposes MIA. She thanked Joker, and headed to the med bay to chat with Dr. Chakwas.

…

To say that Tali was shocked that Cassia was alive and working Cerberus to boot was a gross understatement. However, she was still the astute leader that Tali remembered, easily managing to silence any anger between the quarians and Cassia's Cerberus colleagues. It had been exhilarating to fight alongside Cassia again. A part of her still wished that she'd been able to accept Cassia's offer, but the fleet needed her more.

"Are you sure we can trust Commander Shepard?" Kal'Reegar inquired politely. That was one of the best things about Kal'Reegar; he was bluntly honest and would make a fairly good advisor.

"Shepard's never let me down before," Tali replied, hoping that Cassia would someday be able to break free of Cerberus.

"Fair enough. I would hate to see you betrayed by someone who's changed."

"Hopefully that won't be the case," Tali said as they made there way back to their ship.

…

Fuck! That was the only word Cassia could come up with when it came to Horizon. She hated that Anderson and the Illusive Man both kept Ashley in the dark about her return. Maybe the other woman wouldn't have been so angry then. Miranda's caustic comments hadn't improved the situation either, and Cassia was relieved to be stopping on Omega to pick up the latest members of her team. At least, they hopefully would have an allegiance to her and Cerberus.

Omega was as dirty as she'd imagined, with booger yellow grime caked on the walls of every hallway. At least Aria T'Loak's headquarters were clean if a bit loud with the music and the multitude of conversations.

When the trio attempted to step up the divan on which the Queen of Omega sat, two guards blocked them.

"That's close enough," Aria said.

"We've got to check you for weapons," the batarian guard explained.

"I'm not looking to start a fight," Cassia said in a tone she hoped was reassuring. "I was informed that you were the best person to go to if I had questions about Omega?"

"Can't be too careful with dead Spectres," Aria said. "Could be anyone wearing your skin."

"They're clean," the batarian guard uttered once his scan was complete.

"Depends on the questions," Aria explained.

"So, do you run Omega?" Cassia inquired.

The asari laughed as though Cassia had just told a hilarious joke before spreading her arms as though she were a bird about to take flight. "I am Omega! But you need more. Everyone needs more something and they all come to me. I'm the boss, C.E.O., queen if you're feeling dramatic. It doesn't matter, since Omega has no titled ruler and only one rule: don't fuck with Aria."

"I like it," Cassia replied. "It's easy to remember."

"If you forget, someone will remind you."

"Then I toss your sorry ass out the nearest airlock," the batarian guard interjected.

"So, what can I do for you?" Aria queried, as Cassia daintily sat on the black leather sofa, that functioned as the asari's throne.

"I'm looking for Archangel," she explained.

"You and half of Omega," the asari noted wryly. "You want him dead too?"

"Why does everyone want him dead?" Cassia asked.

"He thinks he fighting on the side of good. There is no good side to Omega. Everything he does pisses someone off. It's catching up to him."

"Sounds like someone I'd like on my team," Cassia replied. Moreover, said person would hopefully not be a sycophantic follower of Cerberus like Jacob and Miranda.

"Well aren't you interesting," Aria said sarcastically. "You're gonna make some enemies teaming up with Archangel. That's assuming you can get to him. He's in a bit of trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Cassia asked, hoping that it wouldn't be too difficult to reach Archangel.

"The local merc groups have joined forces to take him down," Aria explained. "They've got him cornered, but it sounds like they're having trouble finishing him off. They've started hiring anyone with a gun to help them."

"Sounds like that might be our ticket in," Jacob commented.

"They're using a private room for recruiting, just over there. I'm sure they'll sign you up."

"What can you tell me about Archangel?"

"Not as much I'd like. He showed up several months ago and started causing problems. If you make your own laws, which everyone around here does, he makes life difficult. He's reckless and idealistic, but he's intelligent enough to stay clear of me."

"Thanks for the intel," Cassia said.

"Let's see if you still feel that way after the mercenaries realize you're here to help him."

After that enlightening conversation, Cassia decided to head over to the recruitment room since Archangel might not hold out for much longer. She just hoped they got there in time.

"Who's next?" the batarian soldier asked.

"I am," Cassia said.

"I think you took a wrong turn sweetheart," he said dismissively. "Strippers' quarters are that way."

Cassia pulled out her gun. "Show me your's tough guy. I'll bet mine's bigger."

"Impressive!" the batarian said enviously. "So, you're here to fight?"

"Sure, if this is the place to go after Archangel."

"This is the place," the batarian confirmed.

Cassia nodded and asked only a couple questions as the recruiter explained that they needed their own weapons, they would get paid when the job was done, and this did not mean they were part of the three mercenary groups. Just as they were about to leave, a young man who looked just like Jenkins walked in, eager to fight.

"Hey is this where I sign up?" he asked.

"You look a little young to be freelancing as a mercenary," Cassia said.

"I'm old enough. I grew up on Omega; I know how to use a gun."

"So, does Archangel," Jacob pointed out.

"I can handle myself," the young man insisted. "Besides I just spent fifty credits on this pistol and I…."

Cassia lunged forward and jammed the pistol so it wouldn't fire properly. "Get your money back and go home."

"What the hell!" he protested.

"Trust me kid," Cassia said, relieved that she was at least able to save one naïve person from themselves. "You'll thank me later."

…

Garrus swore as more fighters attempted to swarm over the bridge. While he'd managed to hold them off so far, it wouldn't be long before they're sheer numbers would overwhelm him. Garrus didn't mind dying. His only true regret was that he would be unable to exert justice on Sidonis for betraying their group. Suddenly, he spotted an N7 helmet.

 _"It can't be,"_ he thought, because Cassia was dead, even if they never found the body.

Then the same figure shot biotics at their target utilizing the exact same strategy that Cassia would, and Garrus allowed himself to hope that woman he'd grown to care about was alive and here to assist him. Ten minutes after he'd first spotted the figure, the woman he'd mourned for years stood before him.

"Archangel?" she queried.

Garrus wanted to chat, but he needed to take out the last person. Just a couple of more steps. There. He shot, and the human mercenary on the bridge. Then, he finally could sit down and take off his helmet. "Shepard, I thought you were dead," he said.

"Garrus! What are you doing here?" Cassia asked.

A part of him had known that Cassia wouldn't have endorsed his current activities, but it hadn't mattered as much when she was dead. "Just keeping my skills sharp. A little target practice."

"You feeling ok?" she asked.

"I've been better," Garrus admitted. "Although it is good to see a friendly face. Killing mercenaries is hard work. Especially on my own."

"Since when did you start calling yourself Archangel?"

"It's a name the locals gave me," he explained. "For all my good deeds. I don't mind it, but please it's just Garrus to you."

"What are you doing out here on Omega?" Cassia inquired.

"I got fed up with all the bureaucratic crap on the Citadel," Garrus explained. "Figured I could do more good on my own. At least it's not hard to find criminal around here. All I have to do is point my gun and shoot."

"How did you manage to piss off every mercenary organization in the Terminus systems?" Cassia queried.

"It wasn't easy," Garrus admitted. "I really had to work at it. I am amazed that they teamed up to fight me. They must really hate me."

"You nailed me good a couple of times by the way," Cassia pointed out.

"Concussive rounds only. No harm done. I didn't the mercenaries to get suspicious."

Cassia still didn't look convinced.

"If I wanted to do more than take your shields down, I would have it. Besides, you were taking your sweet time. I needed to get you moving."

"Well we got here. But I don't think getting out will be as easy."

"No, it won't," Garrus concurred, strangely ecstatic to have Cassia and her strategic mind with him in spite of the dire circumstances. "That bridge has saved my life countless times, funneling all those witless idiots into scope, but it works both ways. They'll slaughter us if we attempt to escape that way."

"Just hanging right like sitting ducks doesn't sound like much of a viable strategy either," the raven-haired woman said.

"It's not all bad," Garrus replied. "This place has held them off so far. And with the three of you. I suggest we hold this location, wait for a crack in their defence, and then take our chances. It's not a perfect plan, but it's the best I've got."

"Sure Garrus," Cassia said, and it was heady to know that Cassia was willing to put both her own life and the lives of her teammates into his hands.

"I'll defend the bridge and you'll do what you do best. Just like old times Shepard."

"How did you let yourself get into this position?" she asked.

Garrus didn't know hot to respond since Sidonis' betrayal still stung and a part of him still searched for an alternate path he could have taken that would have prevented the massacre. "My feelings got in the way of my better judgement. It's a long story. I'll make you a deal. You get out of this jam alive and I'll tell you the whole damn thing."

"Sounds fair to me."

After that, it was an exciting blur of taking down mercenaries, although Garrus was a little bit uncertain of his chances of survival when Garm managed to reach the bridge even with the raven-haired woman Cassia called Miranda as back-up. Fortunately, Cassia came charging in and slammed Garm with a biotic charge that Garrus had heard about, but never witnessed. It was fascinating to see a trio of skilled biotics team up to take down the krogan, even if there wasn't much left for him to do except make the kill shot. Suddenly, just when it looked like they were going to make it, the repaired gun ship swarmed into view and Garrus' vision went dark.

…

Miranda had never seen Cassia Shepard this frantic before, as she ordered Jacob to radio Moreau and get medevac team for Vakarian. It was disconcertingly similar to her own occasional worries about Liara, and Miranda hoped that the Commander's attachment to Vakarian wouldn't be a liability provided the turian survived and joined the team.

Author's Note: Up next, Shepard waits impatiently for Garrus to recover.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: So after a long wait, here's the latest chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Mass Effect_.

Chapter Twelve

"Commander, as much as I empathize with your worry for Garrus, if you can't keep calm, I will be forced to sedate you," Dr. Chakwas commented strictly, albeit not without sympathy.

"I'm sorry Doctor," Cassia replied sheepishly. She didn't mean to get in Chakwas' way as she operated on Garrus, but an icy fear crystalized within her that Garrus wouldn't survive, and she'd lose the squad mate whom she loved. Worse, that she would never get to tell Garrus about her feelings for him.

"Get some rest," Dr. Chakwas advised. "I'll let you know about Garrus' status as soon as I can."

"Thank you, Doctor." Cassia didn't end up getting any sleep but trotted off to the meeting room and began skimming through the paltry intel they possessed on whatever abducted those colonists from Horizon. She was going to find out what the Collectors planned to do to the colonists and save them if she could. That was the only reason she was going along with Cerberus, well that and she doubted the Alliance would be willing to allow her to rejoin their ranks.

Finally, Jacob entered the meeting room, his brown eyes shining with empathy. "Commander, we've done the best we can to fix up Garrus Vakarian, but he took a bad hit. Dr. Chakwas corrected as much as she could with cybernetics. As far as we can tell he'll have full functionality, but…."

Suddenly, Garrus entered the room, and Cassia bit her lip from gasping. The left side of his face was embossed with deep grooves from where the rocket hit. At least he was alive. Her adoptive father Wrex would wryly comment that scars meant that you were strong enough to survive whatever the hell it was that tried to kill you.

"Tough son of a bitch!" Jacob chortled. "I didn't think he'd be up yet."

"Nobody would give me a mirror, so I can't see how bad it is," Garrus complained.

"Hell Garrus, you were always ugly," Cassia joked. "Slap some face paint on and no one will notice."

Garrus chuckled before groaning. "Oh, don't make me laugh damn it! My face is barely holding together as it is. Some women find facial scars attractive. Mind you, most of those women are krogan."

"I'll leave you two to talk," Jacob tactfully said, before he departed.

"To be honest, I'm more worried about you Cassia," Garrus said. "Don't you remember the sick experiments Cerberus performed."

"I do, but we need their resources in order to take down the Collectors abducting human colonists," Cassia explained. "That's why I'm glad you're with me Garrus. If I'm walking into hell, at least I'll have you at my side advising me."

"You realize that this plan has me walking into hell as well. I guess it's just like old times. I'll check out the forward batteries right now and see if I can perform any upgrades."

"I don't mean to pry, but have you been in contact with Solana lately?" she inquired.

"No," Garrus admitted. "After I quit C-Sec and went to Omega I dropped out of contact."

"You should write to her, and let her know you're ok," Cassia suggested. "I'd write to Wrex if they have extranet service on Tuchanka."

"I'll consider it," Garrus replied, before leaving.

"Commander, I've given Garrus an IP address that is tied to the _Normandy_ and access to the forward battery," EDI reported.

"Thanks EDI," Cassia said. While she wasn't entirely used to the AI, at least EDI was professional in her work habits, her sitcom style battles with Joker aside.

…

 _"You can do this Miranda, it's just one silly conversation,"_ the Cerberus operative thought. But it wasn't just a trivial conversation; this was her identity. After they recruited Mordin Solus, Miranda decided to pay Kelly Chambers a visit. She'd been putting it off since Chambers could report it to the Illusive Man, and while Miranda trusted her boss she really didn't want to delve too deeply into her personal life.

"I'm feeling attraction for someone," she said without preamble. "And it's confusing the hell out of me, because they aren't a guy."

Fortunately, Kelly Chambers wasn't too bothered by this revelation. "Have you felt attraction towards people who are the same gender before?"

Miranda blushed. "Well, yes. One time when I was teenager, I had an intense connection with another girl. We shared everything, at least until my father found out and broke us up."

Shirley was what her father referred to as "chunky", but she had golden blond hair and chocolate brown eyes. Unlike Niket, she recognized how manipulative Miranda's father was, and held her hair back when Miranda was upchucking her lunch into the toilet after a particularly grueling training session.

"Did it ever consider you could be bisexual?" Kelly asked.

"No, I've mostly been with guys." For the most part, she'd managed to chalk up her relationship with Shirley to teenage hormones. There was one vid actress whom Miranda thought was somewhat hot, but she'd told herself that her interest was aesthetic.

"Even if you're just with guys, that doesn't change your sexual orientation." Kelly was surprisingly gentle.

"And I've never been prejudiced against people with same-sex attractions, so why is it so damned hard to deal with this?!" She was coming apart at the seams, all because a pretty asari.

"It's a little different when it's your own sexuality you're coming to terms with," Kelly said. "It took an independent study for me to get used to the idea of pansexuality."

"I guess. Thanks for letting me chat."

"And don't worry about the Illusive Man," Kelly said. "I have no intention of outing you to him."

That was a relief. Now if she could just figure out what she was going to do with these feelings for Liara.

…

Garrus drafted several potential emails to Solana but discarded them all. He couldn't blame her for being angry that he abruptly cut off all contact, especially with their mother battling her illness. However, he was thrilled to be working with Cassia Shepard again even if the circumstances were less than ideal. Moreover, he couldn't just walk away from stopping the Collectors. What if it had been his parents and Solona?

"Hey do you want to chat?" Cassia asked.

"Sure, I'm not doing much at the moment," Garrus replied. It was awkward talking with Cassia considering his feelings.

"Could explain to me how you ended up on Omega."

"I left C-Sec because I felt I wasn't doing much to actually fight crime," Garrus explained. "Omega had criminals no one else was able to touch and there was no red tape to slow me down. It was a perfect fit."

"How did you end with a squad?" Cassia asked.

"Not too different from how you recruited your squad to fight Saren," Garrus explained. "You show you get results and people join up. Mercenaries who wanted to atone. Security consultants tired of playing by the rules. I gave them hope, and now they're all dead. Shows what I know."

"You did the best you could Garrus," Cassia replied. "Sometimes shit happens and there isn't anything you can do about it except try to pick up the pieces and move on."

"I guess, but what happened still stings." He longed to make Sidonis suffer for his perfidy towards their group.

"What happened to your squad?" Cassia gently inquired.

"It was my own damned fault," he admitted. "One of my own people betrayed me. A turian named Sidonis."

"Garrus, don't beat yourself about things you can't change," she said. "I lost someone I cared about during the Skyllian Blitz, and it took time to realize that bad shit happens and all you can do is pick yourself and move on."

"I guess," Garrus replied, unsure if should mention he was looking into Sidonis' whereabouts. Maybe later, when he actually possessed intel regarding his location.

"I'm going to have a chat with our tank bred krogan," Cassia said. "Hopefully, he won't try to murder me."

…

EDI was aware of the fact that Commander Shepard didn't entirely trust her and endeavored to keep out of her way as much as possible however in this case, she was curious as to how Shepard would deal with the tank bred krogan who was for all intents and purposes a baby.

"The subject is stable Commander Shepard, integration with onboard systems was seamless," she reported.

"Can he see anything in there, does he where he is?" Shepard inquired.

"Unlikely," EDI admitted. "Even with a ship wide power loss the nutrients in the tank could sustain him for over a year."

"Ok, let's wake this guy up," Shepard decided.

"Cerberus protocol is very clear on the use of untested alien technology," EDI reminded the Commander.

"He's either a powerful addition to our crew or a ticking time bomb, I'd rather deal with it now," Shepard explained.

EDI privately admitted Shepard might have a point there, even if protocols dictated she must advise against it. "Very well Shepard the controls are online. The switch and consequences are yours."

With a flick of a switch, the tank was emptied of the liquid that sheltered and protected this krogan while he grew. The glass tube slid open and, in a flash, the krogan charged at Shepard and pinned her to the ground. A part of EDI wanted to intervene and save the Commander who was vital to the Illusive Man's plans. Another part knew Shepard wouldn't appreciate her barging in.

"Human before you die, I need a name," the krogan hissed.

"My name is Commander Shepard and I don't appreciate being tossed around," Shepard retorted, already calculating a counter attack.

"I don't mean yours, I mean mine. The tank Okeer bred me in gave me skills, but no connection. Warlord, legacy, grunt. Grunt was among the last. It has no tangible meaning, but it will do. I am Grunt, and you will prove your worth by destroying me."

"Why do you want me to kill you?" Shepard inquired.

"Want. I fight to reveal who is the strongest. Nothing in the tank ever asked what I wanted. I feel nothing for Okeer, his clan, or his enemies. That imprint failed. Everything about me failed. Without a reason, one fight is as good as any other. Might as well start with you."

A flash of sympathy passed across Shepard's face and EDI realized the perks of having someone who grew in close proximity to a krogan. "I'm putting together a crew to fight the Collectors, and I could use your skills, but if step out of line or threaten any of your fellow crewmates there will be consequences."

"That sounds fair to me," Grunt replied.

"And I'm glad you saw reason," Shepard added as Grunt glanced down and discovered the Commander was pointing a pistol towards the middle of his torso.

"Offer one hand, but arm the other," Grunt noted. "I would be honored to fight at the side of someone as skilled and strong as you."

Perhaps Shepard possessed skills that the Illusive Man failed to take into account. And for the first time, EDI pondered if Cerberus' insistence on focusing on human endeavors was actually an Achilles' heel.

…

This was without a doubt the most eccentric motley crew that Cassia had worked with. It said something that the drell assassin was one of the more stable members of said crew. While most of the group were willing to comply with her orders, Jack was a ticking time bomb and a potential liability. In addition, the bald woman kept baiting Miranda, and Cassia anticipated it would eventually come to a head. Right now, she was more focused on Grunt, who struggled to not break everything he touched. The only upside was this was an excuse to visit Tuchanka and catch up with her adoptive father Wrex.

The reports that Tuchanka were a barren wasteland weren't exaggerations, and Cassia made a mental note to procure some sunscreen for herself. She debated with herself before deciding to allow Garrus to accompany herself and Grunt, since she needed a tech expert, especially since Tali wasn't with them currently.

It was about a half hour of trekking through the inhospitable desert sands with sweat poring down her brow that the trio finally arrived in Wrex's throne room. Her adoptive father was looking quite healthy with a couple of new scars a part of Cassia longed to inquire about. She wanted to run up and throw her arms around him, but decorum meant that Wrex couldn't afford to show weakness in front of the rest of Clan Urdnot.

"Shepard," Wrex declared. "I heard a rumor you were alive and wasn't sure to believe. It's good to see you again."

"You've done well for yourself Dad," Cassia said.

"I blame it on your influence, but Clan Urdnot is just the beginning. We will be one people again."

"You've abandoned many traditions to get your way," the other krogan with a green crest objected.

In response, Wrex headbutted his naysayer in what Cassia knew was a show of dominance. "Speak when spoken to Uvank. I'll drag your clan to glory whether it likes it or not."

"Actually, I was hoping you could explain what to do help my crewmate Grunt," Cassia explained. "He's having some issues."

Wrex gave Grunt a once over, before he replied. "Where are you from whelp. Was your clan destroyed before you could learn what is expected of you."

"I have no clan," Grunt admitted, his talons twitching slightly at facing a krogan who knew where he belonged. "I was tank bred by Warlord Okeer. My line is descended from warlords Morro, Kredoc, Shakeer."

"You recite warlords, but you are the offspring of a syringe," Uvank taunted.

"Okeer's a very old name, and hated," Wrex interjected.

"He is dead," Grunt replied.

"Of course, he's dead you're with Shepard. How could he be alive?" Wrex pointed out. Unlike Uvank, he wasn't dismissive of Grunt's potential.

"I need Grunt back up to speed, can you tell me what's wrong with him?" Cassia inquired, hoping there was some kind of remedy.

"There's nothing wrong with him," Wrex replied. "He's becoming a full adult. I don't know what other species call, but traditionally krogan undergo the Rite of Passage."

"Adolescence, couldn't we just get a couple of dances on Omega," Garrus joked.

"You go too far Wrex, that thing is not krogan," insisted Uvank, before storming off.

"Idiot," muttered Wrex. "So, Grunt do you wish to stand with Clan Urdnot and undergo the Rite of Passage?"

"This is his choice," Cassia said, knowing that she would have to step back and let Grunt make his decision about his future just as her adoptive father once did years before.

Grunt glanced back at the multitudes of krogan gathered around camp fires. They were small, but they were growing in strength. "It is in my blood. It is what I am for."

"Good boy," Wrex praised. "Speak with the shaman. Give him a good show and he'll set you on the path."

"You ready Grunt?" she asked.

"I was born ready to do this Shepard," Grunt replied, and Cassia hoped that her team was prepared, because she had a feeling that this Rite of Passage would be difficult. Hopefully, she could show Wrex how much stronger she'd become since they last worked together.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: So here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own _Mass Effect_. This is owned by Bioware.

Chapter Thirteen

When they arrived to converse with the shaman, Garrus was uncertain if he should be impressed or disconcerted by Cassia's handling of the other krogan's derogatory comments regarding Grunt. Moreover, he hoped that the concussion she incurred from headbutting said krogan wasn't too severe, since completing the Rite of Passage was certain to be arduous. At least, the shaman appeared open minded enough to accept Grunt, and was impressed by Cassia's comprehension of krogan customs.

They hitched a ride on a krogan transport that appeared to be only a few repairs away from becoming a derelict, judging from the manner is jostled over every bump. Between that and the exasperating sand that accumulated in every crevice of his armor, Garrus was anxious to complete the Rite and return to the Normandy to expel the dust and dirt from his body.

"This is Tuchanka's most recent scar," the shaman explained. "The last surface city to fall in the rebellions. The keystone was at its heart. It has survived wars and the passage of centuries. It endures, like the krogan. If you wish to join Clan Urdnot, you must contemplate the keystone and its trials."

When Garrus learned about the krogan, the propaganda implied the krogan were simply brutes with no culture who deserved to have the genophage inflicted on them. Meeting Wrex and spending time with Cassia altered this perception, and the shaman's allusion to the krogan's lost cities sent a slight pang of guilt for what his people did in the past.

"What will happen?" Grunt queried with an anxious, yet electrified air that reminded Garrus of the day he departed from his home to commence the required years of service in the turian military.

"Who knows?" the shaman replied. "You must adapt. You must thrive, no matter the situation. Any true krogan will."

With that pronouncement, the shaman departed for the relative safety of Clan Urdnot's camp, while the trio prepared for the unknown trials ahead. Fortunately, both Garrus and Cassia were stocked up on water and ration bars in case they became famished or dehydrated, since Tuchanka's sun seemed to suck out most of the moisture from their bodies like the vampires featured in a human novel Garrus read once.

At first, their only opponents were the ferocious varren who were a common, indigenous species native to Tuchanka. The only challenge was ensuring that a group of varren didn't overwhelm them, a task simplified via Cassia's biotics. However, as they trekked inward they encountered creatures that resembled rachni, but according to Cassia were a different species known as klixen. The fact that the creatures exploded upon their demise only added to the challenge of contending with them.

"Now here's an actual challenge worthy of our skills!" Grunt crowed.

"Well, at least's he's enjoying himself," Garrus whispered to Cassia. "Between the sand and the damage incurred when the fucking klixen explode I'm almost nostalgic for our battles with the geth and the Collectors."

"I can't guarantee we'll be campaigning against geth, but with our mission I can ensure you'll have first crack against the Collectors," Cassia promised.

Garrus' heart beat a little more wildly at her response, and the turian lamented the fact that he still was ignorant of whether Cassia returned his feelings. Luckily, or unluckily, shortly after the trio trekked through the third gate, the ground began to shake in a manner similar to an earthquake. However, Garrus instinctively felt there something more sinister than earthquake, and his fears crystalized when a thresher maw surfaced from the desert sand. At least he and Cassia knew how to deal with a thresher maw.

Grunt, of course, was thrilled to be battling against such a massive and dangerous foe, and Cassia had to caution him that one wrong move could lead to his death. Garrus and Grunt provide cover fire, while Cassia nimbly sauntered closer to their opponent and managed to badly wound the thresher maw with a quick flash of her biotics.

"I wish I could do that," Grunt commented wistfully, and Garrus found himself in agreement with the young krogan. Cassia was talented and extremely beautiful when launching biotic attacks and…damn it! This was an inauspicious time to be distracted by Cassia's body! It took an eternity to annihilate the thresher maw, which was fond of ducking down into the sand and resurfacing in other locations. Finally, after a volley of fire from the trio, the thresher maw emitted a loud death knell before collapsing onto the sand.

Just then, a ship appeared on their scanners, and Garrus had a feeling the people inside weren't friendly. To no one's surprise, the group was revealed to be Uvenk, the krogan who insulted Grunt earlier. Uvenk offered to allow Grunt to join his clan albeit with backhanded comments. Cassia accused him of attempting to poach Grunt from Clan Urdnot and pointed out that Grunt would be treated as a pawn, and not a vital portion of Clan Uvenk. Garrus wasn't disappointed that the discussion devolved into a fight, and his adrenaline kicked up from the prospect of battling several experienced krogan warriors.

Cassia launched herself at one of Uvenk's followers, sparks flying from her body as the pair collided. Garrus reloaded his rifle, and attempted to provide cover fire for Cassia, who relied on her biotics to tip the scales of the conflict in their favor. One by one, Uvenk's followers fell to a combination of Cassia's biotics, and Garrus and Grunt's firepower. Uvenk himself wasn't as easy to defeat, and Garrus swore as the krogan warrior managed to break his barriers, forcing him to duck behind a column to recharge. To his amazement, it was Grunt who managed to strike back at Uvenk with several shots, allowing Cassia to kill the krogan warrior with one final biotic charge.

After they vanquished Uvenk, the shaman arrived and seemed impressed with their skills. "You have passed the Rite of Passage," he declared. "Earning the honor of clan and name. Many survive but it has been years since a thresher maw fell. Your names shall live in glory. Grunt, you are Urdnot. You may now own property, join the army, and apply to serve under a Battlemaster."

"Shepard is my Battlemaster. She has no match," Grunt declared, and Cassia grinned in pride. Garrus found himself joining in the triumph of Grunt's skills, and pondered if this was how one felt when one's child achieved something great.

…

It took longer than Wrex anticipated to finish negotiations with the other clans as well as dealing with fallout of Uvenk's death. At least none could argue that his adopted daughter and her friends weren't well within in their rights to defend themselves. In addition, he was pleased to show Cassia how much progress he'd made in uniting the krogan clans.

"Congratulations on completing the Rite of Passage," Wrex said. "Grunt will add to Clan Urdnot's strength once your mission is over."

"I guess I'd better make sure to give him 'the talk', judging by the way he's currently swarmed by females," Cassia replied.

"Actually, I was hoping to discuss what your currently up to. If you want help in getting the Illusive Man, I'd be willing to pull some strings."

Cassia chuckled at his offer. "Thanks, but no thanks. I've got to focus on destroying the Collectors. Speaking of the Collectors, what do you know about them?"

"Not much more than the usual rumors about them originating from the Omega relay that no one has returned from, but if I hear any new intel I'll pass it on to you." It was somewhat frustrating that he couldn't accompany Cassia on her new mission, but his position was too precarious to leave Tuchanka.

"Thank you, Dad. That means a lot to me."

"Before I leave you to the mercy of all the krogan who harbor crushes on you for killing a thresher maw on foot, I'd like to ask about what's exactly going on between you and a certain turian?" Wrex queried, having observed the intriguing interactions between her and Garrus.

Cassia blushed, a rare feat that answered at least one of his questions. "Nothing is going on between Garrus and I. We're just friends."

Wrex didn't buy her explanation. "Friends wouldn't intently stare when they thought the other's back was turned. Nor would friends become exceedingly jealous if one was flirted with by a young krogan."

"I thought you were supposed to disapprove of any potential relationships I entered," she countered. "Especially since Garrus is a turian."

Wrex shrugged. "He isn't too bad for a turian, and you need talented, trustworthy people to watch your back. Take some advice from your old man, and don't let him slip through your fingers."

…

When she returned to her quarters in the _Normandy_ , Cassia's mind was stewing with Wrex's words. "Don't let him slip through your fingers." She recognized that his suggestion had merit, but the fear of rejection stalked her like a sadistic predator, and Cassia was relieved when Mordin knocked on the door to her quarters.

"Was wondering if you would be willing to aid me in locating my former assistant?" he queried.

"I would be correct in ascertaining that this concerns the genophage," Cassia replied.

Mordin glanced around anxiously before speaking. "You would be correct."

"Don't worry, I have no intention of tattling to Wrex unless this plot means worsening the conditions of the genophage."

This appeared to put Mordin at ease, and the salarian scientist departed for his lab to prepare for the upcoming mission. Cassia weighed whom she should ask to accompany her. For security reasons Grunt was automatically excluded, and while Jack was itching to go on a mission, Cassia felt that the woman's volatile temper wouldn't meld well with this situation. If only Tali were present, then Cassia would have someone she could trust absolutely. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Fortunately for Cassia, Miranda was sitting in her office heavily engrossed in a report. Observing the other woman, Cassia noted that the raven-haired woman possessed curves and a figure that would cause most women to wince in envy, although not Cassia since she felt perfectly content with her own B-cup size bust, and her miniscule curves. "Excuse me, Miranda."

Miranda jumped slightly, although she permitted her muscles to loosen when she recognized her. "What can I do for you Shepard?" she inquired.

"I have a sensitive mission I need to accomplish for Mordin, and I require a third person to complete my party," Cassia explained. "And just so we're clear, you are not to report this mission to the Illusive Man unless I permit it. If I permit you to submit a written statement, I will examine said report and make corrections as needed."

Miranda opened her mouth to formulate a retort, but then clearly decided against it. "Very well Shepard. Just let me know when the mission will take place, and I'll be there."

After taking a quick shower, Cassia returned to the airlock with her shore party in tow, and set off. The krogan scout whom she conversed with regarded her with awe since apparently thresher maws were difficult to kill. He gave her hefty discounts on the wares he sold, as well as intel on Mordin's missing student. However, Cassia noticed that the krogan glared daggers at Mordin, which was a contrast to how Garrus was treated, in spite of being a turian. The trio took a cruiser out to the site where Maelon was last spotted, and it was there things took an unexpected turn.

Apparently, Maelon was there willingly and was assisting the krogans in research to cure the genophage. Cassia would have hugged him in gratitude for his work to rectify the evil done by his species' ancestors if she wasn't pissed off about being kept in the dark about this development as well as his questionable methods. Moreover, a part of her wanted to strangle Mordin for his part in the modified genophage.

"If you'd just contacted me, I would have willingly assisted you with this!" she yelled.

"You humans have a saying that 'three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead.' I couldn't allow the STG to find out about this," Maelon replied.

"They won't change have to kill you," Mordin countered, pointing the barrel of his gun at his former protégé's head.

"Mordin you don't have to do this," Cassia pleaded, not just for Maelon's life, but for a potential future for her adoptive father's species.

Mordin sighed. "No not a murderer. Thank you, Shepard."

"I'm sorry Maelon, but you'll have to leave before Mordin changes his mind," Cassia stated gently.

"The krogan don't deserve what we did to them professor!" Maelon yelled. "The genophage must end."

As much as Cassia wanted to be angry at Mordin, she couldn't keep fanning the flames of her ire when he appeared as though he were about to cave in on him himself. In addition, he had a tired, defeated expression that was atypical for a salarian.

"How are you holding up Mordin?" she inquired.

"Fine since you haven't decided to blow me to smithereens for what I did to your father's people," Mordin stated in a matter of fact tone. "Still feeling conflicted about letting Maelon go. Probably should have killed him, given the brutality of his experiments. Expected such brutal behavior from krogan, not from one of my own species."

"Maybe you'll remember that the next time your discussing the ethics of the genophage," Cassia replied. "Actually, I want you to save the data, and see if you can make something of it. Perhaps a cure is possible."

"Is that an order Commander?" Mordin queried.

"Just the saving the data part. Evaluating the research and extrapolating if a cure is possible is strictly voluntary. I know the STG wouldn't be thrilled if they caught wind of this."

Mordin shrugged. "Occupation is filled with dangers. STG would simply be one more danger. I'll assess the data, and report on anything I discover."  
"That's all I ask," Cassia replied. "Now let's get back to the _Normandy_ and get the hell off this barren wasteland of a planet!"

…

Garrus anxiously the pace of the forward battery, unable to concentrate on his calibrations. He instinctively recognized that Cassia was an excellent fighter, and perfectly capable of looking after herself. Yet his mind constantly flashed to the bleak moment he'd learned of her demise along with the first _Normandy_. Was this how his parents felt in the time between when they'd been apart completing their required service in the turian military before they'd settled down in the house he and Solana were reared in? If only he could be certain his father wouldn't judge him for inquiring for advice on his attractions towards a human, and a human Spectre at that.

"EDI has Commander Shepard returned yet?" he inquired.

The AI, of course, sounded amused by his constant queries about Cassia's status. "Her status is the same answer as when you asked me five minutes ago Vakarian."

Inwardly Garrus groaned as he attempted to focus on the battery guns. Whoever designed the second _Normandy_ 's guns was quite skilled, but there were still some modifications he could perform to increase firing rate.

"Commander Shepard has arrived and is headed in your direction," EDI announced.

"Thank you, EDI," Garrus replied, hardly believing he was calmly conversing with an AI. Then again, the normal rules regarding how the galaxy was supposed to work tended to be thrown out the window when Cassia was involved.

Cassia entered the forward battery, sweating heavily. She'd changed out of her armor into a gray tank top and sweatpants. Garrus knew from what he'd overheard Donnelly comment, that Cassia's breasts were considered small by human standards. However, her angular frame made her extremely attractive by turian standards. He just hoped he wasn't blushing.

"Would you mind answering some personal questions?" Cassia inquired, attempting to sound casual.

"Depends on what they are," Garrus replied, hoping and yet dreading she would detect his feelings. His heart was cresting in peaks of hope that Cassia was equally interested in a relationship, before plummeting into valleys of despair that she would request that they merely remain friends.

"Have you ever um... dated anyone?" Cassia asked, her stance not dissimilar from when she was in battle, as though she was torn between fleeing and confronting whatever was bothering her head on.

"Not a lot," Garrus admitted. "I did go on a date my father arranged with a daughter of a colleague of his, and that didn't turn out well at all. While I was at C-Sec I dated an asari accountant who sometimes assisted C-Sec with embezzlement cases. After her firm transferred her to Ilium, we mutually agreed that a long-distance relationship wouldn't work. Plus, my father wasn't thrilled about me dating an asari. To honest, I mostly just had short term no strings attached sex while I was serving in the turian military. As long as the women involved knew that, we had fun, and no feelings were hurt."

"What about when you were in C-Sec?"

"I was too busy with my job, plus randomly hooking up with someone I barely knew didn't sound very wise, and I wanted to avoid pissing off my fellow C-Sec officers. Ummm…are you asking me on a date?"

Cassia looked as though she wanted to sink into the floor. "Yes, if you want to. But it's ok if you aren't interested since I know that there is a bit of a power imbalance between us Garrus, and I won't be offended if you aren't. I mean we could still be friends and…."

This was probably the first time he'd ever heard Cassia ramble since she normally was clear and concise in her communication. Maybe, this wasn't a one-sided attraction after all. "Cassia, I know you aren't the type to take advantage, and I feel that same way you do. I'd love to go out on a date."

"Really?" Cassia queried, her blue eyes brimming with tears. Garrus hoped that didn't mean she was sad, and made a mental note to look up human reactions.

"Really," Garrus said. "I'm just worried that Wrex won't be pleased you're dating a turian, and he'll rip me to pieces."

"I don't think you have to worry on that count. Dad's the one who suggested you and I enter a relationship, although I won't guarantee that he won't scare you a little. He did that to both of my boyfriends."

"Ok, so when would you want to go out and where?" Cassia asked.

"How about the Citadel?" Garrus suggested. "I know a couple of good restaurants there."

"Perfect!" Cassia exclaimed. "We're already going there to purchase some parts for the _Normandy_ , so that would be perfect."

"Commander Shepard," EDI interjected. "I hate to interrupt your conversation, but it appears we are picking up a distress signal. I would suggest you listen to it immediately."

"Well, sorry to run but duty calls," Cassia apologized.

"Take as much time as you need," Garrus replied. "I'm not going anywhere."

This time as she scurried off, Garrus admitted to himself that he enjoyed the view of Cassia's retreating body immensely.


End file.
